Our Favourite Recipes
Classic Basil Pesto Roast Chicken

Classic Basil Pesto Roast Chicken

These simple hacks put a spectacular Italian twist on homely roast chicken. Simply loosen the skin around the breasts and scoop in half a jar of our Classic Basil Pesto. The flavours and succulence that develop as it cooks are out of this world!
Profile Serves: 4
Icon/Time On the table in: 1hr 40mins
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Gluten Free
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Ingredients

  • 1 x approx. 1.75kg whole chicken
  • 600g vegetables, e.g. potatoes, carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, celeriac
  • ½ lemon
  • ¾ jar Sacla’ Classic Basil Pesto
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C. Weigh the chicken and calculate the cooking time, allowing 20 minutes per 450g, plus 20 minutes
  2. Peel and chop the vegetables and place in a roasting tin
  3. Push the lemon half into the chicken cavity. Use your fingers to pinch the skin around the chicken breasts to loosen it a bit, then slide your fingers under the skin, separating it from the meat all along the breast
  4. Spread half of the Pesto under the skin and add a spoonful of Pesto to the cavity also
  5. Coat the vegetables with the remaining Pesto and place the chicken on top. Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper
  6. Roast in the oven for the calculated time. To test if the chicken is done, slice between the leg and the breast, if the juices run clear then the chicken should be cooked
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