Chicken in milk

It’s the simplicity of the recipe that makes this melt-in-the-mouth chicken so special.

Serves 4–6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Oven temperature: 160°C

• 1 whole chicken • sea salt flakes • 1 lemon, quartered • 3 sprigs thyme • 30ml olive oil • 500ml milk • 4 bay leaves • 5ml whole peppercorns • 2 tins white beans, drained

1

Season the chicken generously with salt and place the lemon and thyme in the cavity. Fry the chicken gently in a little olive oil until brown all over and then place it, breast-side up, in a deep ovenproof dish with a lid. Pour the milk over and add the bay leaves and peppercorns; cover and bake for about 45 minutes.

Stir in the beans and baste the chicken with the sauce. Bake uncovered for a further 25–35 minutes until golden.

2