-
Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan
200C/ Gas 7.
-
Place the chicken, breast side
down, on a chopping board and then, using poultry shears
or a large sharp knife, remove the backbone, by cutting
down each side. (The safest way to do this with a knife is
to place a clean, folded tea towel over the knife, and
then, holding the knife firmly, tap the back of the knife
with a heavy kitchen weight)
-
Place the chicken breast-side
up on the board and open it out flat. Make a small cut in
the skin between the tip of the breastbone and each leg.
Then insert the top of each breastbone into the slits to
keep the legs and thighs firmly in place. Lay the chicken
in a roasting tin, skin-side up, and season.
-
Cut the oranges into quarters
and squeeze out the juice from 4 of them. Put the orange
juice, honey, sun-dried tomato paste and soy sauce into a
bowl, whisk well together and pour over the chicken. Place
the remaining orange quarters into the roasting tin.
-
Roast the chicken for 30-40
mins, then reduce the heat to 180C/fan 160C/Gas 4 and, if
necessary, cover with foil to stop the chicken from over
browning. Continue to cook for another 30-45 mins, or
until the chicken is cooked, basting frequently. When
cooked, remove the chicken from the roasting tin onto
a serving plate and keep warm.
-
Using a tablespoon, skim off
all of the fat from the roasting juices. Reheat the
liquid, then strain through a sieve into a jug. The gravy
can be thickened with a tbsp of corn flour mixed with a
little water to make a paste and added to the liquid while
stirring. Stir until thickened. Serve with
the chicken and a salad and baguette.
|