When Chef Manu Feildel was asked what is the one dish that every person should have in their cooking repertoire, he had a simple answer immediately: A whole roasted chicken.
And while this may seem fairly straight-forward for experienced home cooks, Chef Manu claims this is one of his most-requested tips. “A lot of my friends always ask me how to make the ultimate roast chicken,” he says. “Roasts around the world have been there forever but people still struggle.”
Luckily, Chef Manu reckons he’s got the recipe down-pat, creating a beautiful piece of meat that’s crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle.
The Fool-proof Method
His first tip is something we’d only expect from a talented French chef – “I get a lot of butter,” says Chef Manu. “Make sure it’s soft, but not melted.”
The seasoning itself is refreshingly unpretentious, with Chef Manu claiming you’ll only need a bunch of dry herbs, salt and pepper – things we’ve all got on hand.
“Put it between the skin and flesh; under the skin,” he says. “No need to score it.”
As for the temperature, Chef Manu suggests starting off slow and easing into it. “Just put it in the oven for 120 C until it’s crispy, and then turn it up to 180 C until its ready”.
Well, there you have it. We know what we’re making for dinner tonight…
Text: The Australian Women’s Weekly / Additional Reporting: Sean Tan
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