Chicken – YUM!!
Controversial? I wanted to show how a humble chicken could rival a Christmas turkey! Well look no further here it is my amazingly moist and flavour packed Christmas Chicken 🙂
Just look at it!!
The best Roast Chicken
I have elevated the chicken but pushing seasoned good quality sausage meat under the chicken breast skin, then covering it heavily in delicious smoked streaky bacon, it’s so flipping good.
The bacon and sausage almost act like a suit of armour around the juicy breast – containing all those lovely flavours
And actually no need for pigs in blankets really – but hey it’s Christmas so why not have them too!
I add a lemon, some fresh rosemary, salt & black pepper and a good glug of olive oil over the whole bird
Christmas Chicken v Christmas Turkey
So why not go chicken instead of turkey?
What I would say is go for a good bird. Splurge a little and maybe go Free-Range or Organic – yum yum
For me it’s for these reasons
- A chicken is really moist and super easy to cook
- It normally take much less time to cook (for time for fun)
- More oven space as it’s a shorter roasting time
- I simply prefer the taste
Step by step to your perfect Christmas Chicken
****My chicken was a fresh 1.75Kg (3.5-4 pounds) – you must change the cooking instructions if you chicken is a different size)***
Step 1
Using your hand separate the skin from the breast and stuffed a flattened skinned sausage underneath the skin in a very thin layer
Step 2
Half a lemon and pop inside the cavity – you can also add some bay leaves and an onion in if you fancy it – it all adds to the flavour.
Next criss cross the entire top of the chicken with plenty of smoked streaky bacon.
Add some fresh herbs – I used rosemary and a drizzle of olive oil, fresh black pepper and salt
Step 3
Cover with foil and cook in a preheated oven for 1 hour – remove the foil and cook for a further 40 minutes (or longer depending on the size of your chicken)
Rest covered for 20 minutes and serve with all the usual trimmings – delicious!
Enjoy – it really is delicious!
Other tasty morsels
Here’s my recipe for yummy Brussel sprouts – I love them
Hope you enjoy!
Much love Clare x
Christmas Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.75 Kg Large fresh Chicken or whatever size you like
- 1 Lemon halved
- 2 Sausages good quality herbed ones
- 300 grams Streaky Bacon - smoked
- Fresh rosemary
- 15 grams Olive oil
- Salt & Black Pepper
Instructions
- These instruction are for a 1.75Kg fresh chicken, if your chicken is a different size adjust times accordingly!!
- Preheat your oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6
- Remove your chicken from it's packaging and place on a large foil covered baking tray
- Using your fingers carefully separate the skin from the breast
- Next skin the sausages and flatten them - slide them between the skin and the breast, should be a thin layer
- Next criss cross the streaky bacon over the entire breast - use plenty
- Place the halved lemon inside the chicken with some rosemary
- Add some further rosemary between the breast and legs
- Drizzle with olive oil and finally add some salt and black pepper
- Cover tightly with foil
- Cook for 1 hour (follow on pack instructions if your chicken is a different size)
- Remove the foil and cook for a further 40 minutes
- Once cooked (juices should run clear) remove from the oven, cover and rest for minimum 20 minutes
- Enjoy
Victoria
Love a chicken for Christmas dinner!
Clare x
same x
Emma James
We made this for Christmas day. Wow it was delicious and so moist. Very easy to make too. Thanks Clare xxx