Serves 4
105 min
Roast Chicken with Savoury Sauce
Recipe GLPR06a59d6ee61fcb
A classic French-inspired roasted chicken infused with prosciutto and fresh herbs. The bird is roasted until golden and tender, then served with a rich, velvety sauce made from the pan drippings combined with a flavourful mixture that deepens as it cooks. Perfect for a special dinner, this dish celebrates simplicity and quality ingredients.
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Ingredients
1 whole chicken (1.2 kg), preferably maize-fed or free-range
70g sliced prosciutto
4 small sprigs fresh rosemary
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 sprigs fresh sage
150ml extra-virgin olive oil
150ml dry white wine
Directions
Preheat your oven to 200°C (gas mark 6 or fan 180°C). Gently loosen the skin covering the chicken breasts, working carefully from the neck opening. Slide one or two slices of prosciutto and a sprig of rosemary under the skin of each breast, positioning the fattier prosciutto pieces to allow them to gradually baste the meat during cooking. Finely chop the remaining prosciutto. Fill the chicken cavity with the chopped prosciutto, quartered onion, sage sprigs, and remaining rosemary. Secure the cavity opening using two wooden cocktail sticks.
Select a roasting dish just large enough to accommodate the chicken. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the base and place the chicken breast-side up. Pour the remaining olive oil over the bird and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Every 20 minutes, baste the chicken with the dry white wine. The chicken is done when the juices run clear with no pink when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a knife.
Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. This resting period helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
While the chicken rests, prepare the sauce. Carefully pour off the olive oil from the roasting pan into a small saucepan—you should have about 4 to 5 tablespoons. Place the pan over low heat. Slowly stir in the reserved oil, blending it thoroughly until the mixture transforms from a raw to a cooked appearance, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. The sauce should develop a rich, complex flavour.
Transfer the sauce to a clean container and let it cool slightly. If the sauce is too thick, add water a small amount at a time while stirring, until you reach a velvety texture with a thick pouring consistency. Keep the sauce warm over a pan of gently simmering water.
Carve the rested chicken by removing and discarding the backbone. Separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks, and cut each breast in half, ensuring each serving includes both white and dark meat. Discard the herbs and onion from the cavity. Pour the warm sauce into a serving bowl and serve alongside the carved chicken.
