Times may be tight but the urge to celebrate the end of the year with a stonking great feast remains strong. If you'd like to create a special lunch or dinner but feel daunted by the price of a turkey, or even a side of salmon, don't write off the humble chicken. It's much more affordable and as good as a turkey any day, writes Alice Taylor.
A roast chicken was a staple in my household growing up. It was one of those meals that filled the house with joy, although I must admit that juggling several pots and pans put me off cooking a roast for many years myself. There are few things I dislike more than washing dishes, and if you have ever seen my Instagram page you'll know I am not the tidiest cook either.
Over the past little while I've realised that I've spent much of my life overcomplicating cooking. A great roast chicken does not need a separate tray of duck fat potatoes or a perfectly made stuffing or half a dozen side dishes. All of those things are lovely, of course, but they are hardly essential.
If you're choosing to roast a chicken for Christmas dinner, it will work with just about any style of feast – as the centre to a traditional meal with herbed stuffing, new potatoes and freshly podded peas; or as part of a random potluck featuring a vast array of dishes from every culture (as many extended families pull together at Christmas time).
Of course, a turkey is larger and feeds more, but many families include vegans and vegetarians and other dietary differences these days and opt for a more buffet-style meal; and a chicken in that context is perfect because it brings the traditional vibe, without hogging all the space.
Chicken is much simpler to cook than turkey, less prone to ending up dry and over-done, and a bonus is that, if you have gold-card-carrying family members, they'll remember when chicken was THE protein delicacy in New Zealand, more prized than lamb or beef or fish. Bring back the respect for the chicken, I say.
But chicken is a fabulous meal on any day of the year. This version is the easiest roast dinner I know. We make it every. Single. Sunday. Everything goes into one tray. There is no stuffing to fuss over and no extra pots to clean. You can use up old fruit and vegetables that might otherwise be heading for the compost bin, which helps reduce food waste at a time when most of us are looking for simple ways to save money. The potatoes will not be the crispiest you have ever eaten, but they taste of chicken fat and that is one of the small, perfect pleasures of life.
Roast Chicken with vegetables and gravy
INGREDIENTS
• 1 whole chicken
• Vegetables for roasting such as potato, onion, or kumara
• 1 lemon, diced
• Fresh or dried herbs
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Optional for gravy: cornflour, mustard, lemon juice
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Dice the vegetables and place them in a roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season, and toss to coat.
Stuff the chicken with the diced lemon and herbs.
Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil and season generously.
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables or on a rack set over the tray.
Roast for about one and a half hours, or until the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh.
Leave the chicken to rest for at least ten minutes.
To make an easy gravy, set the roasting tray over medium heat, add a splash of water or stock, a spoonful of cornflour mixed with water, a little mustard, and a squeeze of lemon. Stir until it thickens.
Make your own stock
Another thing I love about roast chicken is how much you can get out of it. I am a big believer in buying meat on the bone because the flavour is better; a tip I learnt from my Nana’s chicken curry. And once the meal is over you can use the bones for stock. A bottle of chicken stock feels wildly expensive these days and bone broth even more so, which makes this homemade version all the more satisfying.
Do not throw out the bones from the roast; instead, add the carcass to a pot of cold water with any leftover vegetables from the tray or fresh ones you want to use up. Simmer it gently or leave it in the slow cooker for several hours. You will have a beautiful stock that freezes well in zip-lock bags.
One of my favourite quick dinners is a bowl of noodles made with this stock, a dash of soy sauce, and a little chilli oil. It is one of the cheapest meals you can make from something that might otherwise have been thrown away.
The best sandwiches
I never grew up with leftover roast chicken because I had two brothers who could out-eat the rest of us combined. If you do find yourself with leftovers, though, they make a brilliant Boxing Day (or any day) sandwich. Shred the remaining chicken, mix it with a touch of mayonnaise, diced celery, cucumber, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and tuck it all between two slices of bread.
Or if I really cannot be fussed, I simmer some rice with a touch of turmeric and cumin, and serve the leftover chicken alongside.
As we head into the Christmas season, when so many people feel stretched and exhausted, I want to say this. You do not need to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare a Christmas table centrepiece. Put a chicken in the oven and spend that extra time watching a Christmas film instead of scrubbing pans.
Chef Alice Taylor posts cooking videos as @alicetayloreats on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. Her Ebook Alice Taylor Eats: Cheap and Realistic Recipes ($12) is available on alicetayloreats.com.
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