Hot honey chicken with smashed potato salad and chopped salad
Now this is our kind of roast chicken. Perfect for eating al fresco, this summery chook comes with crispy paprika potatoes and a quick salad.
Ingredients
For chicken and dry brine
- 1 whole chicken, backbone removed and flattened, spatchcocked
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
For the compound butter
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the hot honey
- 5 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
For the smashed crispy potatoes
- 8 medium Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, quartered
- 4 tsp onion granules
- 4 tsp garlic granules
- 4 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 tsp Italian seasoning
- pinch mustard powder
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 banana shallots, finely sliced
- small bunch fresh chives, chopped
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 100ml/3½fl oz vegetable oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the chopped salad
- ¼ red cabbage, finely chopped
- ½ pomegranate, seeds removed
- ½ cucumber, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- ½ yellow pepper, finely chopped
- 100g/3½oz feta cheese, crumbled
- small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
- small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Combine the dry brine ingredients in a bowl. Rub the dry brine all over the chicken, including in between the skin and flesh and the under belly. Transfer to the fridge and leave, uncovered, overnight.
The next day, when you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Combine the compound butter ingredients in a bowl and mix until soft. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Rub the compound butter between the skin and the flesh. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 40 minutes–1 hour, depending on the size of the chicken. The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the leg, between the drumstick and the thigh, is pierced with a skewer.
For the hot honey, place everything in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat. Slather the chicken in the hot honey every 15 minutes while it roasts.
Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a large saucepan of heavily salted cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and pop a clean tea towel on top. Leave the potatoes to steam dry for 10–15 minutes. While the potatoes steam, put a baking tray into the oven (on a different shelf to the chicken) to preheat.
Combine the onion and garlic granules, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, mustard powder and a big pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Add a glug of oil to make a thick paste.
When the potatoes have dried, arrange them on the preheated baking tray and use something flat (such as the bottom of a glass or spatula) to squash them so they can get lots of crispy bits. Spoon over the thick seasoning mix and brush it all over the potatoes, so they’re covered. Transfer to the oven and roast for 45 minutes until crispy and golden, then flip them over and brush with some remaining oil and spices. Roast for few minutes to crisp-up on the other side. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mayonnaise, onions, shallot, half the chives and lemon zest and juice and mix.
Combine all the chopped salad ingredients in a large serving bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Once everything is cooked, stir the mayonnaise through the potatoes. Serve up, family style.