Ingredients

Method

• 1 large free-range chicken
• For the marinade, mix together:
• 3 tablespoons bottled tamarind paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• Milled salt and black pepper to taste
• On the side: spinach-basmati rice

Method

Ingredients

Cut out the backbone of the chicken (freeze for stock or soup), then wash and pat dry. Give it a good thump to flatten as much as possible.
Place, skin-side up, in an oiled roasting pan. Pour over the marinade and leave while heating the oven to 220ºC.
Roast one shelf above the middle for 45 minutes or until nicely browned, tender but still moist.
Remove the chicken, and lightly reduce the pan liquids on top of the stove.
Stir a few handfuls of baby spinach leaves into hot steamed basmati rice and leave for a few minutes until wilted.

TASTE’s take: Butterflying the chicken shortens the cooking time, perfect for a mid-week fast roast. Tamarind, with its sour fruity flavour, is used, like sumac, instead of lemon juice or vinegar.

Browse more roast chicken recipes here.