Roast Coronation Chicken Tom Cenci, Nessa
Fed up with serving the same boring roast again this weekend? This is perfect if you fancy trying something new while celebrating the Coronation in style. It’s a roast coronation chicken with an apricot, almond and tandoori sauce, finished with curried scraps and vadouvan. I reckon it’s best served with a corianderdressed salad and black pepper fries.
Serves: 4 Ingredients
• 1 medium-sized chicken
• 50g salt
• Just over a litre of water
• 500ml chicken stock
• 250ml double cream
• 3g curry powder
• 3g Garam masala
• 50g gram flour
• 5g curry powder
• 30g flaked almonds
• 30g golden raisins
• 50g dried apricots, sliced
• ½ bunch fresh coriander
Method
1. First, make a brine by bringing the salt and a litre of water to a simmer, so all the salt dissolves. Then, allow it to cool.
2. Next, cover the chicken with the brine for a maximum of 24 hours before draining. Place it onto a plate and let it dry in the fridge overnight but don’t cover it; this will allow the skin to crisp up better when you’re roasting it.
3. Next, make the sauce by reducing the chicken stock, double cream, curry powder and Garam masala until it thickens, then set aside, and taste for seasoning.
4. Rub the chicken with a bit of oil, then place it onto a roasting tray and cook at 190°C for 45 minutes. Cover in foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 30 minutes.
5. While the chicken is cooking, you can make the curry scraps by mixing the gram flour, a pinch of salt and curry powder, and adding water until it forms a thick batter that can be poured.
6. Drizzle this batter into a pan of shallow oil on a medium heat and allow it to crisp up to form little curry scraps, and once crisp, drain and place onto a plate with some kitchen paper.
7. Once the chicken has rested, carve it in half or pieces, depending on how many people you are serving, and place it onto your serving dish. Then just heat up the curry sauce and pour over the chicken.
8. Finish with the flaked almonds, golden raisins, dried apricots, and coriander, then sprinkle with the curried scraps.