Roast chicken with tomatoey bulgur wheat, dilly leeks and peas
Georgina Hayden’s summery roast chicken is flavoured with warm, gentle spices and served alongside herby leeks and grains.
Ingredients
For the roast chicken
- 1.7kg/3lb 8oz whole chicken
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400g/14oz ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 750ml/1¼ pint chicken stock
- 150g/5½oz sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 250g/9oz bulgur wheat
- 250g/9oz Greek yoghurt or dairy-free alternative (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dilly leeks and peas
- 2 leeks
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter or plant-based butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
- 250g/9oz frozen peas
- ½ bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
- ½ lemon
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 8. Place the chicken in a flameproof casserole and sprinkle with the oregano, cinnamon and paprika. Season generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Rub all the flavours into the chicken, then set aside.
Put the tomatoes into a blender. Add the garlic, tomato purée and 250ml/9fl oz of the chicken stock. Blend until smooth and then pour around the chicken, spooning a little over the top. Scatter over the sundried tomatoes.
Place the casserole on the hob and bring everything to the boil. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the dilly leeks. Trim and slice the leeks – I slice the white part into 1cm/½in rings and the green part thinner. Give them a good wash in a colander to get rid of any dirt. Place a large saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Add the washed leeks and sauté for about 10 minutes, until they start to soften.
Add the tomato purée, stir, then pour in the white wine and bring to the boil. Reduce by half, then add the peas and 200ml/7fl oz water. Bring everything back to the boil, season generously and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until everything is tender, creamy almost, and the liquid has reduced.
Stir the dill through just before serving and squeeze in the lemon juice. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.
When the chicken’s hour is almost up, place the remaining stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Take the casserole out of the oven and carefully transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the bulgur wheat into the casserole with the hot stock, then nestle the chicken back in the casserole. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, until the bulgur is cooked, then remove from the oven.
Leave the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before carving the bird, spooning out the bulgur and serving with the dilly leeks, sprinkle of parsley and a generous dollop of Greek yoghurt, if you like.
