Preparation time
overnight
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 4
By Philli Armitage-MattinFrom Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- Chicken (spatch-cocked and cut in half through the breastbone): 1 small
- Olive oil: 1 tbsp
- Lemon (halved): 1
- Courgettes (sliced, a mix of yellow and green): 4 large
- Salt: To taste
For the salsa verde:
- Capers in vinegar: 2 tbsp
- Anchovy fillets: 4
- Garlic cloves (peeled): 2 small
- Olive oil: 4 tbsp
- Sherry vinegar: 2 tbsp
- Fresh parsley (small bunch): 1
Alternative Ingredients
Sherry Vinegar Alternatives:
Worcestershire Sauce: This fermented liquid contains various ingredients, including anchovies, and can serve as a substitute for sherry vinegar.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Sprinkle the chicken liberally with sea salt all over and set aside in the fridge for an hour, or overnight if possible.
- Add a tablespoon of oil to a large cast-iron (or heavy oven-proof) frying pan set over a high heat. Add the chicken and the lemon halves (cut-side down) and fry for 5 minutes on both sides until golden-brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside
- Add the courgettes to the pan and cook for about 5-8 minutes or until the courgettes are beginning to brown. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile, make the salsa verde by blending all the ingredients in a hand blender to a rough sauce. Taste and adjust by adding a little more salt or vinegar, to taste. Set aside.
- Turn the oven up to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Remove the chicken from the pan, drizzle most of the salsa verde over the courgettes, reserving a tablespoon or so. Put the chicken back on top of the courgettes and roast for a final 5-10 minutes, or until cooked through.
- To serve, put the courgettes onto a large serving platter and place the chicken on top. Top with the remaining salsa verde.
