Summer roast chicken with ginger, chilli and lime (serves: 4)

11:47am Wednesday 4th June 2008

For a really fragrant roast, make a spicy paste with ginger, coriander and lime juice, and slide it under the skin of a free-range chicken.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients
2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
20g pack fresh coriander
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lime, zested and juiced
1.8kg free range whole chicken

Method
Preheat the oven to 190C, gas mark 5. Place the ginger, chilli, garlic, coriander, 1 tbsp of the oil, the lime zest and half the juice in a food processor or liquidiser.

Blend to a rough paste and set aside. Working from the neck end of the chicken, gently push your fingers between the skin and breast to loosen it, taking care not to break the skin.

Using your hands, spread the paste evenly over the breast meat under the skin, until covered. Smooth the skin back over and secure underneath with a cocktail stick if necessary.

Tie the legs together with kitchen string and place the chicken in a roasting tin. Rub with the remaining oil and season.

Calculate the roasting time according to the pack instructions and cook for the recommended time (about 1 hour 45 minutes). Test the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it's ready - if they are still pink, return the chicken to the oven for 15 minutes, then test again.

Serve warm, sliced chicken with couscous and fresh watercress, tossed with the remaining lime juice.

Cook's tips
If you don't want to cook a whole chicken, stuff the spicy paste under the skins of 4 chicken breasts and roast for 25-30 minutes instead.

Drinks recommendation
Spicy roast chicken deserves a full, herby white.

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