Photography: Con Poulos. Styling: Lucy Busuttil. Photochef: Kerrie Worner
This roast chicken with a vibrant Indian marinade will help shake up meal time in your household. The chicken is coated in a spiced and herby green chutney marinade, and roasted atop a bed of potatoes that soak up all the beautiful chutney flavour as it all cooks.
“Inspired by the bold flavour of Indian cooking, this chutney marinated chicken is full of fresh herbs and spice, served with irresistibly crispy ghee potatoes.” – Depinder Chhibber.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C fan-forced.
In a bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, Kashmiri chilli powder and salt (the Kashmiri chilli will give a beautiful colour to the crust). Set this aside.
GREEN CHUTNEY Wash your herbs thoroughly. Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend on the highest setting until it forms a smooth paste. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking, adding extra lime juice, sugar, chilli or salt to balance the flavours. The chutney should be bright and punchy.
Add the potatoes to a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain.
Clean the chicken and pat dry with paper towel – this helps the marinade cling better. Turn the chicken over so the backbone is facing up and, using kitchen scissors, cut along one side of the backbone; repeat on the other side of the backbone to remove it completely. (You can set this aside for chicken stock.)
Flip the chicken over so it’s breast-side up. Using the heel of your hand, press firmly down on the centre of the breastbone until you hear a slight crack and the chicken flattens out.
Now take the flavoured butter we prepared earlier and slide it under the skin and spread evenly. I would use a small spoon or wear some plastic gloves.
Reserve 1/3 of the Green Chutney for serving. Rub the remaining Green Chutney all over the chicken, getting into every crevice on both sides. If you have time, let it sit for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge, covered, for deeper flavour).
Toss the potatoes in a large roasting dish with ghee or oil, herbs, salt flakes and pepper, then spread them out. Place the marinated chicken on top, letting any excess marinade drip down onto the potatoes; this is where all the flavour builds.
Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is deeply coloured. About halfway through, toss the potatoes so they soak up all the juices and crisp evenly. If you want extra colour, finish the chicken under the grill for a few minutes – but keep an eye on it, as the chutney can catch quickly. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving.
Spoon any pan juices over the chicken. Serve with the crispy potatoes, reserved Green Chutney and extra lime wedges and mint sprigs, if desired.
Green chutney roast chicken marinade ingredients
Ginger: To peel the ginger, use a vegetable peeler. You can also scrape the skin off with a small, sharp knife or a teaspoon.
Green chillies: ‘Green’ is used to refer to any unripened chilli; also some particular varieties that are ripe when green, such as jalapeño, habanero, poblano or serrano.
Ghee: A type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking; milk solids are cooked until golden brown, which imparts a nutty flavour and sweet aroma. It can be heated to a high temperature without burning.
Chaat masala: An Indian spice blend with a tangy and salty flavour, often made with black salt, fried mango powder and dried pomegranate seeds.
Kashmiri chilli powder: A red chilli powder that gives a rich red colour to dishes it is used in. It is a mild chilli powder, made from chillies from the Kashmir region of India.
