Roast Spring Chicken with Buttered Leeks and a Herb Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large free range chicken, around 2kg
- 6 leeks, trimmed and rinsed
- 100g frozen peas, defrosted
- 40g Kerrygold Salted Butter Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter 200g
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 thyme sprig
- For the Dressing
- 4 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- Zest of half a lemon, finely grated
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6.
2. Season the chicken thoroughly inside and out with a good pinch of salt and a glug of olive oil. Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes, basting often with the meat juices, or until golden brown with a core temperature reading of 75 on a cook's thermometer.
3. Whilst the chicken roasts, slice the leeks in half lengthwise and then into thirds. Lay the leeks cut side down in an even layer in a wide based shallow pan, pour in water to just cover the leeks and bring to a boil.
4. Add the butter, garlic, thyme and lower the heat to a moderate simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the water to evaporate leaving only the butter behind. Add the peas and cover to keep warm.
5. Allow the chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes after cooking to keep it moist. Serve on a bed of the leeks and peas and drizzle over the herb dressing.
