This unfussy, rustic dish is fantastic for sharing and great for a dinner party with friends.
Once you have mastered de-boning the chicken, it is a quick, easy, and an interesting take on a classic.
Serve with a chilled glass of Orvieto and have a great weekend!
Ingredients - serves four
1 x 1.5 kg free range chicken
2 slices of sourdough bread
150 g Datterini tomatoes ( cut into 1/2s)
1 small white onion ( cut into 8ths)
2 cloves of garlic ( cut into 1/4s)
1 tblsp chopped fresh thyme
200g fresh rocket
1 lemon
3 tblsp olive oil
Method
Bone the chicken so that you remove the carcass. Cut along the inside of the legs and follow the bone with the knife. Cut around the bone and remove. Cut the lemon into quarters and squeeze over the de-boned chicken. Sprinkle over 1/2 the fresh thyme, olive oil, garlic and season well with sea salt and black pepper. Leave to marinade for 30mins.
In a hot frying pan add a dash of olive oil and place the de-boned chicken skin side down. Cook for 3- 4mins or until golden brown. Turnover and cook for a further 2mins.
Remove the chicken from the pan and place the 2 slices of sourdough bread in the pan. Add the onion to a small bowl with the tomatoes and remaining thyme.
Add a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper, then mix together (this will prevent them from going too dark when cooking) and scatter all the ingredients over the bread and around the pan.
Place the browned chicken on top of the bread, tomatoes, onion and thyme. Cook in an oven at 190˚C for about 25mins or more depending on how big your chicken is.
Take the pan from the oven and leave for about 5mins, this will make the chicken much juicier when you cut it. If you cut the chicken when it's straight out of the oven the juices always pour out quicker and are wasted on the chopping board.
Remove the chicken from the pan and cut into pieces. Do the same with the bread. Place the bread on an oval platter and put the chicken on top. Scatter over the cooked tomatoes, onion and any bits left in the pan.
Mix the rocket in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon, dash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on top of the chicken and put the plate the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.