Roast chicken springtime salad | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

DifficultyNot too tricky

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1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Pick the oregano leaves into a pestle and mortar, add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and pound into a paste. Peel and pound in 2 cloves of garlic, then muddle in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Halve the onions, leaving the skin on, cut the remaining garlic into 3 big chunks, and place it all cut-side down in a roasting tray.
3. Use a sharp knife to cut through the chicken along the backbone, allowing you to open it out like a book. Press it flat with your hands, then pull up the skin at the tip of the breasts and use your finger or a spatula to gently separate the skin from the breast meat.
4. Poke a knob of butter and some of the herby marinade into each pocket, then rub the rest of the marinade over the top of the chicken and sit it in the tray. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.
5. Put a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat and, once hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Slice and add the bacon with a good pinch of black pepper, and cook until golden, tossing regularly, then remove, leaving the tasty fat behind.
6. Chop the bread into rough cubes and sprinkle into the pan, tossing regularly until golden and crisp, then turn the heat off.
7. For the dressing, whisk the mustard and vinegar with 3 tablespoons each of olive oil and extra virgin olive oil until smooth, add the honey, then season to perfection.
8. Click apart your lettuce leaves, wash and spin dry, then arrange over a large serving platter. Finely slice and add the radishes, crumble over the Roquefort and walnuts, and finely grate over the Parmesan. Add the lardons and croutons, then drizzle over the dressing, to taste (save the rest in a clean jam jar in the fridge for another day). Finish with a few finely chopped chives or a scattering of fennel tops, if using.
9. Carve up the chicken, plate up with the salad as you wish, and enjoy.

Tips

HELPFUL HINT
– If you’re using lovely home-grown lettuces, remember to wash them two or three times to make sure you get rid of any extra little friends. No one wants a worm in their salad!

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