Roast Chicken, Mash and Slaw

Roast Chicken, Mash and Slaw

Servings 6
Author Simon Gault
Prep time
25 mins
Cook time
1 H & 20 M
Total time
1 H & 45 M
This recipe was a signature dish at my Euro restaurant and was on the menu for 16 years. I also developed my original Italian seasoning all that time ago, to adorn my beautifully cooked roast chicken. The latest iteration of this—Gault’s Italian Flavour Shot—is my now-not-so-secret trick, sprinkled under and on top of the chicken skin.

Ingredients

Mash
Madeira sauce
Slaw

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Remove excess fat from neck and bottom cavity of chicken, then remove wing tips by chopping through the outermost joint with a sharp knife. Using your fingers, loosen skin around breast and thighs, then massage some of the Italian seasoning under the skin. Liberally season cavities too, as well as inside and outside of chicken.
  3. Place chicken, breast-side up, on a roasting tray and cook in oven for around 1 hour, 15 minutes—the internal temperature should reach 65°C using a meat thermometer, or juices should run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Set chicken aside to rest in a warm place for a good 10 minutes.
Mash
  1. In a large saucepan, add potatoes and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer until just past tender. Drain and pass through a potato ricer, or mash, and return to saucepan.
  2. In a jug, combine butter, hot milk and hot cream. Return mashed potato to heat and add milk, cream and butter, stirring until mixture is smooth and creamy—not all the liquid may be needed, depending on how starchy the potatoes are.
  3. Add nutmeg and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you decide on the luxury of truffle oil, add it just before serving, with a final whisk.
Sauce
  1. In a medium saucepan, add Madeira then bring to the boil and reduce by half.
  2. In a bowl combine water, stock concentrate and cornflour. Pour mixture into pan with Madeira and stir while bringing back to the boil. Whisk in butter then remove from heat and finish with pepper. Set aside.
Slaw
  1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with garlic and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add cabbage, peanuts, parsley and balsamic. Spoon in enough of the mayonnaise to coat the slaw and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Assembly
  1. Place cooked chicken on a chopping board and insert a large chef’s knife into the bird, cutting along the inside of the backbone all the way to the neck. Remove backbone by chopping along either side. Place resulting chicken halves on the board, skin-side up, and cut diagonally to separate breast and thigh. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking tray and reheat in oven for 5 minutes.
  2. Heat mash in a saucepan or microwave and spoon onto warmed plates. Stack a breast or a leg on top of each serving of mash. Arrange slaw on the plate, next to the mash.
  3. Bring sauce to the boil then pour over and around the chicken and mash. Serve and enjoy.
Sunday lunch, roasts, Italian seasoning,
Chicken, family favourites, Italian flavour shot, dinner
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