One-pan jerk roast chicken

Ingredients

• 1 ½kg whole chicken
• 2 red onions, halved, then cut into wedges, leaving the root intact
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped into chunks
• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 400ml coconut milk
• cooked rice, to serve
• flatbreads, to serve

For the jerk paste

• 1 red onion, chopped into large chunks
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded
• 3 fat green chillies, deseeded
• bunch coriander, stalks roughly chopped, and leaves reserved, to serve
• large bunch thyme, leaves picked
• zest and juice 2 limes (save the juiced halves for the chicken)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, plus a drizzle
• ½ nutmeg, grated
• 1 tsp ground allspice

Description

Method

• STEP 1

  First make the jerk paste. Put all the ingredients in a food processor, add a good pinch of salt and blend to a fine purée, adding a splash of water if the mixture is struggling to break down. Tie the legs together if you like, and put in a large flameproof roasting tin. Pour over the jerk paste and rub all over and inside the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the juiced lime halves and cover the tray with foil. Chill for up to 48 hrs or a minimum of 2 hrs.

• STEP 2

  Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the chicken for 45 mins.

• STEP 3

  Take the chicken out the oven, remove the foil and carefully lift it onto a plate, pouring any juice from the cavity into the tin. Tip the onions, peppers and sweet potatoes into the tin, and season well, then toss in the tray to coat in any residual jerk paste. Put the chicken on top of the veggies and drizzle it with a little oil. Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and return the roasting tin to the middle shelf, uncovered. Roast for a further 45 mins or until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked through – if you have a meat thermometer, check that the temperature has reached 75C. Carefully remove the chicken from the tin, place on a plate and wrap in foil, then leave to rest.

• STEP 4

  Place the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat. Stir in the beans and coconut milk, scraping the bottom of the tin to lift off any tasty bits. Simmer until the sauce has thickened a little, then season to taste. If the sauce looks oily, skim the fat off the surface with a spoon. Put the chicken back in the pan and scatter over the coriander leaves before taking to the table. Serve with rice and flatbreads for mopping up the sauce.