Ingredients
Roast chicken and beetroot
Pesto butter
Method
1.Make pesto butter: process butter, lemon juice, basil, pine nuts, garlic and parmesan cheese until almost smooth.
2.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
3.Wash the cavity of the chicken under cold water; pat dry with absorbent paper.
4.Tuck wings under chicken. Loosen skin of the chicken by sliding fingers carefully between skin and meat. Spread half of the pesto butter under skin; spread mixture evenly over breast by pressing with fingers. .
5.Place onion and two of the garlic cloves inside chicken cavity. Tie legs of chicken together with kitchen string. Place chicken, breast-side up, on oiled wire rack in large baking dish; spray chicken with oil spray, sprinkle with salt.
6.Roast, uncovered, about 45 minutes. Add unpeeled beetroot to dish; roast, uncovered, further 15 minutes. Add remaining unpeeled garlic cloves to dish; roast further 30 minutes or until chicken and beetroot are cooked. Cover loosely with foil if chicken starts to over-brown.
7.Cover chicken to keep warm; stand 10 minutes. Peel beetroot. Serve chicken with beetroot, garlic and remaining pesto butter.
