Made roast chicken for the first time.  I usually roast chicken highs, breast, or drumsticks but never a whole bird.  One of the things I learnt about roasting a whole bird is that it is quiet simply, you marinate it, put it in the oven for 1½ hours and you are done.

Ingredients

½ a tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp. paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 clove of garlic crushed

1 lemon

2 tbsp. olive oil (add more if it is to lumpy)

Salt and pepper

720g baby potatoes

Method

Add the garlic, smoked paprika, paprika, cumin, coriander, pepper and salt in a bowl add the olive oil.  Mix to a smooth paste. Pour on the chicken and massage and marinate for 4 hours or longer.  Place chicken in the fridge. (You can even do it the night before.)

Pre heat oven to 180°C.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and squeeze lemon over the chicken.  Massage chicken with the lemon juice.  Place a piece of lemon in the cavity.

Place the chicken  in a baking dish, breast facing upwards, and wrap aluminum foil over the chicken so the spices don’t burn.  Bake chicken for 1½ hours. or until cooked through.  Press skewer through chicken thighs to check if the thigh juice runs clear,  If it runs clear it is cooked.  Leave chicken outside to rest for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Bake potatoes for 30 minutes or  until crunchy in a separate dish.

Note

Serve 4

Feel free to use Italian herbs or other vegetables.

Try these grilled dishes

Roast Beef

Chicken Tikka with Steamed Veggies

Chili and Honey Barbeque chicken