- 2½5kg avg. whole chicken
- 60g honey
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 1½ garlic clove
- A thumb of ginger
- 37½g sesame seeds
- Roasting tin
- 1.
Heat your oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Take the chicken out of the fridge, unwrap it and remove the giblets (you can use them to make giblet stock, see our tip). Pop the chicken in a roasting tin and set aside for 30 mins-1 hr to come to room temperature.
- 2.
While the chicken is warming up, make the honey and tamari glaze. Pop the honey in a bowl and stir in 2 tbsp tamari. Peel and crush or grate the garlic. Add it to the bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl. Add the sesame seeds to the bowl. Stir to mix everything together into a marinade.
- 3.
Spoon the marinade all over the chicken to coat it. You can tie the legs together with kitchen string to keep them neat, or just leave them as they are. Loosely cover the chicken with a large sheet of foil, scrunching it onto the sides of the tin. Slide into the oven and roast the chicken for 1 hr, then remove the foil and roast for another 20 mins to crisp up the skin.
- 4.
Take the chicken out of the oven and check if it’s done by inserting a skewer into the thick part of a thigh. If the juices run clear, it’s ready. If not, slide back into the oven for another 5-15 mins.
- 5.
When the chicken is cooked, take it out of the oven and rest it on a warm plate or board, loosely covered with foil, for 20 mins before carving.
- Tip
On the side
Stir-fried greens make a quick side to go with your roast chook. Shred pak choi, cavolo nero, kale or cabbage leaves. Heat a wok till it's smoking hot and add a splash of oil with a pinch of cumin seeds, some dried chilli flakes and crushed garlic. Stir fry for a few secs, then add the greens and stir fry till starting to soften. Add chicken stock, tamari, a splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar. Stir fry for a few more mins, then serve with rice and the chicken. - Tip
Take stock
A giblet stock is easy to make - just pop the giblets in a large pan with a sliced onion, chopped carrot, celery, a bay leaf and a few sprigs of thyme and parsley. Add 2 ltrs water. Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 hrs. Strain into a tub and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Perfect for soups, risottos and gravies.