Preserved lemon roast chicken with freekeh salad

Three new ways with chicken, from your favourite BBC stars

Rosie Birkett’s preserved lemon roast chicken with freekeh salad

Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cook 1 hr 35 mins

50g butter

4 slices preserved lemon (25g), pith and

flesh removed, skin finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 whole chicken (about 1kg)

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

3 tarragon sprigs

FOR THE SALAD

1 tbsp olive oil

200g freekeh, rinsed under cold running water

1 bay leaf

1/2 small pack each of mint, basil and flat-leaf parsley 200g podded broad beans, blanched and

peeled (optional)

4 spring onions, sliced

150g pack rainbow radishes, halved (smaller

ones left whole)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Combine the butter, preserved lemon and garlic in a bowl or food processor to make a flavoured butter.

2 Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper, then fill the cavity with the bay leaves, thyme, tarragon and flavoured butter, reserving a little to spread over the thighs and breasts. Season, then roast for about 1 hr, basting every 20 mins or so with the juices. The chicken is cooked when the leg is wobbly when pulled from the body and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and leave to rest while you make the salad.

3 Heat the olive oil in a high-sided frying pan or saucepan. Toast the freekeh for a few mins with the bay leaf. Cover with water, bring to the boil and skim off any scum. Simmer for 25-30 mins until cooked but still with a little bite. Rinse the freekeh under cold water, then drain and mix it with the herbs, broad beans, spring onions and radishes. Season and dress with the olive oil, lemon juice and any juices from the chicken. Carve the chicken and serve with the salad on the side.

PER SERVING 673 kcals, fat 38g, saturates 12g, carbs 39g, sugars 2g, fibre 6g, protein 41g, salt 0.5g