Ingredients

Method

• 1 whole free-range chicken
• 4 shallots, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 10 g fresh thyme
• 100 g butter
• 1 T olive oil
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 x 25 g Woolworths chicken stock concentrate sticks
• 2 lemons
• 250 g dried white kidney beans, cooked
• 1 x 230 g jar Woolworths mixed Italian green olives
• hot orzo or moist polenta, for serving
For the herb crust, combine:
• 200 g Woolworths pitted green olives, drained and chopped
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 40 g Parmesan, grated
• 10 g Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 – 2 T olive oil

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spatchcock the chicken using a good pair of kitchen scissors, then turn the chicken over and find the line between the two breasts.

2. Carefully cut the skin along the line, taking care not to tear it, then cut through the chicken to separate the two breasts completely so you have two halves.

3. Using 2 small, deep pans or one deep pan large enough to hold the chicken, gently fry the shallots, garlic and thyme in the butter and olive oil over a medium heat until softened. Increase the heat and add the wine to deglaze the pan for a few minutes, then add the stock with 3–4 cups water and the rind of ½ lemon. Add the cooked beans and bring to a simmer.

4. Meanwhile, drizzle the chicken with olive oil and pat on the herb crust. Place the chicken in the pan so it is just sitting in the broth but the crust is still exposed to allow it to become crunchy and golden.

5. Roast for 40 minutes, adding a little butter and the olives about halfway through. Portion and serve hot in bowls of the pan juices and beans, or spoon over hot orzo or moist Parmesan polenta.

Cook’s note: If you don’t want to cook dried beans, use a mixture of canned beans such as butter beans and cannellini beans. Drain and add to the broth when you add the butter.

Find more chicken recipes here.

Photographs: Myburgh du Plessis
Production: Hannah Lewry
Food Assistants: Claire-Ellen van Rooyen and Ellen Schwrdtfeger