Bill Granger's Chicken

Bill Granger's ricotta and herb stuffed roast chicken

INGREDIENTS

1.6 kg free-range chicken

375g (1½ cups) fresh ricotta or mascarpone
2 tablespoons snipped chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
sea saltfreshly ground black pepper

olive oil

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C. To spatchcock the chicken, place the bird, breast-side-down, on a board. Using poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut along both sides of the backbone, cutting through the skin and bone. Remove the backbone. Turn the bird over and press firmly on the breast bone to break the bone and flatten the breast. Tuck the wing tips under the breast.

Mix together the ricotta, herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper. With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin over the breast of the chicken and down to the thigh area. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly under the skin to cover the breast and thigh.

Put the chicken in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you poke a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. Leave to rest for 5 minutes
before carving.

You can use either Ricotta or Mascarpone for this recipe.  Ricotta is a healthier choice but the Mascarpone is divine.  Bill says he used to use butter instead - imagine that!

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