- 2½5kg avg whole chicken
- 3 shallots
- 1½ garlic clove
- A handful of coriander
- 1½ lime
- 3 tsp jerk seasoning
- 1½ tbsp tamari
- 1½ tbsp caster sugar
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Roasting tin
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Unwrap the chicken and remove the giblets (you can save them for making homemade stock – see our tip). Pat the chicken dry. Line a roasting tin with foil and pop the chicken in the tin. Set it aside for 30 mins-1 hr to come to room temperature.
- 2.
Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the shallots. Peel and finely grate the garlic. Finely chop the coriander stalks, setting the leaves to one side. Pop the shallots, garlic and coriander stalks into a small bowl. Grate in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice. Add 2 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning, 1 tbsp tamari and 1 tbsp sugar, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix, then rub half the jerk mixture all over the chicken.
- 3.
Cover the chicken with a layer of foil, crimping it to the sides of the tin to seal. Slide the chicken into the oven to roast for 1 hr 20 mins.
- 4.
When the chicken has roasted for 1 hr 20 mins, remove the foil from the tin. Brush over the rest of the jerk mixture and slide the chicken back into the oven, without the foil, for 10 mins, till the skin is dark and sticky. To check if the chicken is done, insert a skewer or knife into the fattest part of the leg. The juices should run clear. If they’re still a little pink, roast for 10-15 mins more.
- 5.
Lift the roast chicken onto a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and rest for 30 mins. Carve and serve the jerk chicken garnished with the reserved coriander leaves.
- 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. - Tip
Something on the side?
Try serving your jerk-spiced chicken with a side of sticky coconut rice and fresh slaw of crunchy shredded seasonal veg. - Tip
Jerk seasoning leftover tip