BUTTERFLIED BASIL PESTO CHICKEN

WITH SWEET & SMOKEY CARROTS

Serves: 4-6  | Prep time: 5-10 mins | Cook time: 30-35 mins

Our butterflied free range chickens are moisture infused (brined) to produce the most tender and well seasoned roast or BBQ’d chicken you’ll ever have. It also makes them easy to cook because they don’t dry out as quickly as a regular chicken. 

We sell them plain or with 3 different toppings. For the basil pesto, we top it with Roza’s Basil Pesto, semi dried tomatoes and feta. The pesto flavour goes really well with the roasted carrots. To make it a full roast meal, roast some potatoes or other veg and serve it with some steamed greens. We also love a little drizzle of Roza’s Basil Pesto over the top of the potatoes and chicken. 

Recipe and images courtesy of Alana Lowes.

INGREDIENTS
1 butterflied basil pesto chicken
2 lemons, halved
1 bunch Dutch carrots, green tops trimmed
2 tbsp smoked honey (or you can use regular honey if that is what you have)
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp salt flakes

To Serve
4 fresh thyme sprigs

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan forced.

Place the Dutch carrots onto a roasting tray and drizzle over the honey and sprinkle with the smoked paprika and salt. Toss to coat and then arrange in a single layer. If you have enough room on this tray place the butterflied chicken onto the tray skin side up. If not, use another roasting tray. Arrange the lemons cut side up around the chicken.

Place the carrots and the chicken in the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are sticky and golden.

Rest the chicken on a plate for 5-10 minutes before carving.

To serve, arrange the chicken pieces onto a platter and spoon over any chicken juices. Place the carrots onto a plate and scatter with fresh thyme and salt flakes and spoon over any of the sticky glaze you can scrape from the roasting tray.

If you make this recipe, please let us know! Post a pic on Facebook or Instagram and tag us #meatatbillys.