Classic Kiwi Roast Rangitikei Chicken

Classic Kiwi roast chicken recipe with root vegetables using succulent Rangitikei Free Range chicken. - From Mark Southon on Best of NZ Food.

To Make

For the Roast

1 x whole Rangitikei Free Range chicken
butchers twine
oil
salt & pepper
thyme
garlic

For the Veges

2 x carrots
2 x swede
2 x turnips
2 x onions
1 x leek
12 x garlic cloves
8 x small potatoes
50g butter
For the sauce
500ml veal stock
100ml white wine
Thyme

To Make

First job you need to do is to stuff your chicken cavity with garlic,thyme and salt & pepperthen, truss your chicken, this basically means your tying it up and making it plumper. Tuck the wings under the bird, cut a piece of string 60cm and center it under the neck end of the chicken, pull the twine up over the breast towards you and knot it tightly to plump up the breast. Then bring the ends of the twine around the ends of the drum sticks and tie to plump up the bird.
Peel your carrots, turnips, onions and swedes then cut into even sizes, around 3/4 inch.
Cut the leeks and potatoes into roughly the same sizes.
Place all the veg into a large bowl and toss with some oil and season.
Spread the veg out onto a baking tray or skillet pan, sprinkle over the garlic cloves and place the chicken on top. Rub the butter over the chicken breast and sprinkle a little salt over.
Now the key to a good roast is to leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge over night to dry that skin and let the chicken come up to room temperature before you roast it (1-2 hours)
When you start the cooking process in a hot oven is to help the skin go golden and crispy.
Start your roast at 230 C for 25 minutes then lower the temperature to 190 C for an additional 40- 45 minutes.
Once you have checked the chicken is cooked, by pushing a skewer into the thickest part (under the breast/thigh) to see if the juices run clear, you need to rest it for 15/20 minutes.
Whilst the chicken is resting reduce the stock and white wine by half, infuse with the thyme and just before serving add 2/3 spoons of the chicken juices and fat from the roasting tray.
Simply carve the chicken into sections (breasts, thighs, drumsticks) spoon around the veg and drizzle over the jus.

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