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Garlic & Thyme Butter Roast Chicken with Pan Sauce | DonalSkehan.com
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Garlic & Thyme Butter Roast Chicken with Pan Sauce

June 29

To get a crispy skin, ensure you pat the chicken dry before putting the butter under and on the skin. To put the butter under the skin, first push your fingers under the skin to loosen and then stuff with butter. You want to get the butter all the way under the skin, into all the nooks and crannies and secret hidden places.

  • serves Serves 4
  • time 1hr 15minutes

Method

  1. 1. Add the garlic, thyme and a generous pinch of sea salt to a large pestle and mortar. The salt helps to act as an abrasive and helps to crush the garlic. Bash to a smooth paste before adding the butter and gently mash to combine.
  2. 2. Place the chicken in a large roasting tray with the onions.
  3. 3. Ease the chicken skin away from the flesh using your fingers. Push most of the butter under the skin and spread the rest on top to coat. Drizzle the onions with a little oil and season everything generously with sea salt and pepper.
  4. 4. Cook in the oven for approx. 50 minutes to an hour or until fully cooked, golden and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
  5. 5. Once cooked remove the chicken and onions from the tray and place on a carving board and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before dividing into portions and slicing the breasts. Place on a serving platter and keep warm in the oven.
  6. 6. Pour the liquid and the contents of the roasting tray into a gravy fat separator jug and pour the non-fatty liquid back into the tray and place on the stovetop over a medium heat.
  7. 7. Add the flour and whisk vigorously into the juices in the pan. Add the white wine to this and bring to a steady simmer allowing the alcohol to cook out for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Whisk regularly and simmer until thickened and reduced. Season to taste and serve the roast chicken alongside the gravy, garden peas, roast potatoes and carrots.

Ingredients

For the chicken: 

10 garlic cloves, peeled 

4 thyme sprigs, leaves removed 

3.5oz butter, softened 

3 lbs free range chicken 

3 onions, cut into wedges

Rapeseed oil, to drizzle

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the gravy:

1oz plain flour 

4.5oz white wine 

8 fl oz chicken stock 

To serve: 

7oz cooked garden peas

Roast potatoes

Carrots vichy

For the chicken: 

10 garlic cloves, peeled 

4 thyme sprigs, leaves removed 

100g butter, softened 

1.5kg free range chicken 

3 onions, cut into wedges

Rapeseed oil, to drizzle

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the gravy:

25g plain flour 

125ml white wine 

250ml chicken stock 

To serve: 

200g cooked garden peas

Roast potatoes

Carrots vichy

You'll Need

Roasting tray