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large chicken, about 1.8kg (4lb)
- 150 ml
(5 fl oz (¼ pint)) olive oil
- 2 tsp.
white wine vinegar
775g (1lb 11oz) sweet potatoes (about 4 large), scrubbed
- 2 tsp.
dried oregano
small bunch parsley, thick stalks removed
½ large bunch basil, thick stalks removed
1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2tbsp capers in brine, rinsed
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. To spatchcock a bird, place it breast-side down on a chopping board with the neck cavity away from you. With strong kitchen scissors or poultry shears, cut straight up either side of the backbone and discard. Turn the bird over and firmly press down on the breast to flatten. You should hear the wish bone snap.
- Step 2
Rub chicken with 1tbsp olive oil and 1tsp white wine vinegar. Season well. With dry hands, thread two long skewers across each other, through the underside of the bird from thigh to wing, to keep it in shape. Put in a roasting tin, breast side up.
- Step 3
Cut the sweet potatoes into 2cm (¾in) batons, then toss with 1tbsp oil and the oregano. Scatter on to a baking tray.
- Step 4
Put the chicken tray in the top of the oven, with the fries on the shelf below, and roast for 45-50min until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, and the fries are crisp and golden (turn them halfway through cooking).
- Step 5
Meanwhile, make the salsa verde. Whiz the remaining olive oil and white wine vinegar with the parsley, basil, garlic and capers in a food
processor until smooth. If you don’t have a processor, chop everything finely and mix for a chunkier version. Rest bird for 10min, drizzling over cooking juices from tray before carving. Serve with the fries and salsa, plus salad leaves, if you like.
Extra meat
Use the extra meat that you strip off the carcass for other meals.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 697
- Fibre: 7 g
- Total carbs: 41 g
- Sugars: 11 g
- Total fat: 42 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Protein: 34 g
A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.
