Top UK chef Angela Hartnett has shared a spicy twist on the classic roast chicken, combining Mexican flavours with a traditional British favourite. The recipe, featured on the Dish from Waitrose podcast, was created for actress Nicola Coughlan, who loves roasts, Mexican heat and pickles.
Hartnett's method involves making a smoky chipotle marinade with chipotle paste, ancho chillies, lime, coriander and sour cream. She recommends gently separating the chicken skin from the flesh with your thumb, spooning the marinade underneath and pushing it through with your fingers to ensure the flavour permeates the meat without ripping the skin. The rest of the marinade is then spread over the outside of the chicken.
To cook, preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Place the lime shells and coriander stalks in the chicken cavity, season the bird and drizzle with oil. Roast in a tin with two tablespoons of water for one hour 10 minutes to one hour 20 minutes, basting occasionally, until the juices run clear. Rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
For accompaniments, Hartnett suggests pickled onions (sliced onion rings tossed with lime juice and a pinch of salt) and a tomato sauce made by toasting an ancho chilli, then simmering it with chopped tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf and thyme until thickened. The sauce can be made with chipotle chilli flakes instead of dried ancho for convenience.
The actress described the finished dish as 'absolutely gorgeous', and the video has already garnered over 2,726 views. One viewer commented: 'Yum! I’m 100% trying this.' Serve the carved chicken with the pickled onion, tomato sauce, extra coriander and lime wedges so everyone can make their own tacos.
