Roast Chicken and Caramelised Alliums
Allium is a family of edible plants which onions, garlic, shallots and leeks belong to. Their earthy pungent sweetness adds flavour, especially when slow roasted until caramelised like in this roast chicken recipe.
Ingredients
- 8 large banana shallots
- 4 bulbs garlic
- 4 red onions
- 1 free-range whole chicken size 14
- 1 lemon cut in half
Gravy
- 1 cup good quality chicken stock preferably fresh stock (check label if eating gluten-free)
- 2 teaspoons plum jam
- 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
To serve
- Steamed broccoli or broccolini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200degC. Line a large roasting tray or dish with baking paper for easy clean up.
- Leaving the skins on, cut banana shallots in half lengthways, slice 1cm off the top of the garlic bulbs, and quarter red onions.
- Wash and pat chicken dry, stuff with lemon halves and place on prepared roasting tray. Arrange shallots, garlic and onions (cut-side-up) around the chicken. Drizzle chicken, shallots, garlic and onions with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes until chicken is just cooked through and alliums are soft and caramelised.
- Remove chicken from roasting tray and pour any juices from the cooked chicken and roasting tray into a pot. Cover chicken with tinfoil and a tea towel and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes while you make the gravy.
- Add chicken stock and jam to the pot with the roasted chicken juices. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Stir in cornflour mixture and continue simmering, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes until thickened to a gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Carve roast chicken and serve with roasted caramelised alliums, gravy and broccoli.
Notes
This is a classic roast chicken recipe, one I always come back to. It’s a family favourite that everyone loves!
In addition to their taste, alliums are high in antioxidants, and are thought to have anti-bacterial, anti-thrombotic and cancer-protective properties. Banana shallots are larger and longer than normal shallots and are perfect for roasting. If using a larger chicken you will need to cook it for longer, however 40-45 is enough time to cook a size 14 free-range chicken.