After several years of strict veganism learning to cook meat again was very intimidating. Chicken especially has been my nemesis. Making it flavourful and moist but cooking it enough to avoid salmonella can be pretty tricky as it is a fine line between potential food poisoning and overcooked and dried out. I have found that roasting whole chickens with fresh herbs and fruits or vegetables is a consistent success and using ones that are butterflied/spatchcocked (the backbone is removed and the chicken is opened like a book) cuts down the prep and cooking times and makes them a bit easier to work with. The butcher should be able to do the butterflying but here’s a link to Martha Stewart’s photo directions. This time I used some summer fruits as the chicken’s main accompaniment and after the cooking is done some of the fruits break down enough to become a thick, sweet sauce.
- 1 3 lb chicken, butterflied
- 1 pint blackberries
- 1 large mango, diced
- 1 large orange, peeled, halved and sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano (1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or raw honey)
- 2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil (or melted butter)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°. Place the chicken in a large pan then add the fruit, herbs, shallot and garlic around the sides (it’s best to put the herbs underneath some fruit or they will dry up and burn). Drizzle the maple syrup, olive oil and balsamic vinegar then lightly sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken. Bake for 1 hour, after 30 minutes the skin should be nicely browned, at this point lay a large piece of foil over top of the pan to keep the moisture in and keep it from drying out or getting too crisp. Remove the herbs, stir the fruit around and serve family style in the middle of the table or plated with a bit of fruit on each piece.
