METHOD

1. Place the butter, 1 tsp. of ground coriander, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 15ml olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor and blitz until evenly combined.

2. Prepare the chicken by removing any trussing from the chicken and then using either a spoon or just your fingers, carefully loosen the skin over both of the breasts until you have created a gap between the skin and the crown of the chicken. Spoon half of the flavoured butter into the gap under the skin and then massage it from the outside until you have created an even layer of butter running across the chicken breasts under the skin.

​3. Preheat the oven to 220 °C.

4. Scatter the chickpeas into a large roasting tray and add the garlic, onion, 1 tsp. of ground coriander, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle with a generous lug of olive oil and mix together.

5. Place the chicken on top chickpeas and then smother the chicken all over with the remaining flavoured butter. Roll and pierce the lemon and place inside the cavity.

​6. Place the chicken into the oven. Immediately reduce the heat of the oven to 160 °C. Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours. Each half-hour, remove the chicken from the tray and stir the chickpeas ensuring none are sticking.

7. After 1 ½ hours remove the chicken from the oven once the skin has become golden and crisp and the internal temperature has reached 75 °C in the thickest part of the breast.

8. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a serving plate and cover with foil. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Whilst the chicken is resting, add the chopped herbs to the chickpeas and squeeze in the lemon juice from the lemon roasted in the chicken, taking care as this will be very warm! Roughly smash the chickpeas with a fork and mix together to give a lumpy mash consistency.

9. Serve the chicken with the smashed chickpeas, salad and greek yoghurt.