Lime & Chilli Butter Roast Chicken
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
- 1 size 16 or 18 chicken (1.6-1.8kg or 3.5-4lb), cut into pieces
- 50g/1.7ozs. softened butter
- Finely grated zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 long red chilli, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon finely grated ginger
- Fresh coriander to serve
For herb coleslaw
- 3 cups finely grated cabbage
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup mint and coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 220C/440F and place the chicken pieces in a baking tray skin side up. Blend the butter, lime zest, lime juice, chilli, garlic, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and ginger in a small food processor (or just chop and mix by hand). With hands (latex gloved if you're sensitive to chilli), spread the flavoured butter over the chicken, coating it well. You can do this the night before if you want and just cover the chicken and place it in the fridge. Roast the chicken for 40 minutes, basting halfway through with the juices (take the breast pieces out as soon as they are cooked after around 30 minutes as I find that they dry out otherwise).
Step 2 - Meanwhile make the coleslaw. Toss the cabbage, green onions and fresh herbs in a bowl. In a small jug mix the oil, sweet chilli sauce and vinegar. Mix with the cabbage and then arrange on a serving plate. When chicken is ready, sprinkle with the fresh coriander leaves.