Roast chicken with lemon, herb and Parmesan butter recipe

Skip the gravy for a buttery, cheesy sauce to serve with roast chicken.

Ingredients

  Metric  Cups  Imperial 

• 1 free-range chicken, approx 1.8–2kg (4–4.4lbs)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 150 ml double cream
• 125 g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 10 g flat-leaf parsley, large stalks removed and finely chopped
• 1 sprig of tarragon, leaves removed and chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 pinches lemon zest
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper

• 1 free-range chicken, approx 1.8–2kg (4–4.4lbs)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 3.5 fl oz dry white wine
• 5.3 fl oz double cream
• 4.4 oz unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1.8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 0.4 oz flat-leaf parsley, large stalks removed and finely chopped
• 1 sprig of tarragon, leaves removed and chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 pinches lemon zest
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper

• 1 free-range chicken, approx 1.8–2kg (4–4.4lbs)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 0.4 cup dry white wine
• 0.6 cup double cream
• 4.4 oz unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1.8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 0.4 oz flat-leaf parsley, large stalks removed and finely chopped
• 1 sprig of tarragon, leaves removed and chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 pinches lemon zest
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper

Details

• Cuisine: British
• Recipe Type: Chicken
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

For the chicken

1. Roast your chicken in your usual way or…
2. Spatchcock chicken by cutting out the backbone and flattening the bird. Season generously.
3. Place backbone, wing tips and any giblets (except the liver) that came with the bird into a baking tray with a good slug of water. Then place the chicken on a wire rack over the top of the roasting tray.
4. Roast at 230°C/446°F/gas mark 8 for 30 to 45 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken) until golden brown, and the leg meat easily pulls away when pinched with your fingers.
5. Remove the chicken and roasting tray from the oven and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes. Strain the chicken juices from the tray in to a small jug, spooning any fat off that rises to the top.

For the sauce:

1. Place the shallots and white wine into a saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce wine by three-quarters.
2. Add double cream, chicken juices and gently simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Strain hot cream into a jug, add butter and blend with a hand blender until smooth.
4. Add Parmigiano Reggiano, herbs, lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning if needed with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste

To serve:

1. Carve the chicken and serve with seasonal vegetable and the Parmigiano sauce.