This is my own way of maximising a whole chicken. I don't usually roast the breasts as I find them too dry, so I cut them out, freeze them and use another time. With the carcass I make a light chicken broth that I can freeze or reuse to make soups or risottos.
Ingredients
Whole chicken, I use organic and free range
Potatoes, 1 kg
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Rosemary
Sage
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Method
Heat oven to 190C/fan.
Using a pair of sturdy scissors, cut through the chicken's skin along the breastbone. Use a sharp knife to help detach the skin from the meat, and then the meat from the bones. Separate the breast meat from the breastbone and set aside.
Once the breast are removed, also remove the upper part of the carcass.
Now to butterfly the chicken, press down firmly on the chicken's breastbone until you hear a crack.
At this point you should have cut out these pieces:
As I am only cooking roast chicken, I freeze the chicken breasts and the carcass and use them when needed.
I usually use the carcass to make a light broth:
In a pot add the carcass, a potato, half an onion, a couple of celery sticks, a couple of carrots, a tomato, 7/8 whole peppercorns, water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil and cook for an hour and fifteen minutes.
Going back to our main recipe, massage the chicken with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Season the cavity and the skin of the chicken liberally with salt, pepper, rosemary and sage.
Transfer the chicken on a baking tray.
Cut the potatoes and season them with rosemary, salt and pepper. Transfer them in the baking tray, also adding a garlic head, cut in half.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Transfer to the pre-heated oven and cook for around 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
During this time, turn the potatoes a few times to allow them to cook evenly. Turn the chicken once, after about an hour.
Carefully remove the tin from the oven and let the chicken rest for 15-20 mins before serving.