Nothing Fancy: citrus chicken rested in herbs recipe

SERVES 4-6

Ingredients
*125 ml lime or lemon juice, plus 1 lime or lemon, thinly sliced
*125 ml orange juice, plus 1 orange, thinly sliced, seeds removed
*125 ml soy sauce
*2 tablespoons canola oil
*2 tablespoons yuzu kosho or sambal, or 1 jalapeño chilli, finely chopped
*2 garlic cloves, finely grated
*kosher salt and freshly ground
*black pepper
*1.8 kg chicken, halved lengthways through the backbone, or bone-in, skin-on parts
*1 handful coarsely chopped coriander, tender leaves and stems
*1 handful coarsely chopped parsley, tender leaves and stems
*a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme, oregano or marjoram (optional)

Method

1. To make the marinade, combine the lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, oil, yuzu kosho and garlic in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set about half aside for later, and add the rest of the marinade to a large bowl, resealable bag or baking dish. Add the chicken, tossing to coat well.

2. Let it sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, in the refrigerator.

3. Preheat the oven to 230°C. Alternatively, heat a barbecue grill to medium heat, with cooler coals or low flames on one side. (You can grill the chicken over hotter flames, but it can be challenging to manage; for beginners, it’s good to err on the side of the coals being slightly cooler than slightly hotter.)

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade the chicken was sitting in. Place on a baking tray, skin side up. Roast until the skin is deeply browned and lightly charred and the chicken is cooked through, 35–45 minutes; there’s no need to flip or turn the chicken.

5. Alternatively, place the chicken skin side down on the grill and cover; make sure the vents are open. Let it grill, resisting the urge to turn or check too frequently, until it’s nicely golden brown with those cute little grill marks, 10–12 minutes; just like when you’re searing chicken in a skillet, the skin will release effortlessly once it’s cooked and golden. Attempting to move it beforehand will probably tear the skin and maybe ruin your day! Using your finest and largest tongs, carefully flip the chicken, then cover so that it continues to grill and cook on the other side, another 10–12 minutes. Flip once more, skin side down, and add a few halves of cut citrus if you have them. Continue to grill another 5–8 minutes, to crisp the skin and finish cooking through.

6. Place the citrus slices on a platter or cutting board and scatter with the herbs. Place the cooked chicken on top, skin side up, and pour the reserved marinade over. Let the chicken rest for 10–20 minutes, allowing its juices to mingle with the citrus and herbs.

7. Carve the chicken into pieces before serving.

DO AHEAD Chicken can be cooked a few hours ahead, loosely covered with foil, and kept at room temperature. Serve either at room temperature, or pop it back into a 230°C oven (or on the grill) for a quick reheat.

More from Nothing Fancy:

NOTHING FANCY: unfussy food for having people over by Alison Roman (Hardie Grant, £22) Photography: Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott