Zesty Roast Chicken With Parma Ham And Sage - cooking recipe

Ingredients

100 g butter, softened
8 slices Parma ham, 4 slices chopped, 4 slices left whole
None None Zest of 2 oranges, fruit cut into quarters
30 g sage leaves, chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish
1.2 kg chicken
125 ml chicken stock (made with 1 stock cube)
750 g potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
250 g shallots, peeled (larger ones halved)
250 g cherry tomatoes

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400\u00b0F. Place 6 tbsp of the butter in a bowl with the chopped Parma ham, most of the orange zest and the chopped sage. Mix well. Using your finger tips, loosen the skin over the breast then slide half the orange-sage butter under the skin. Rub the remainder over the outside of the chicken. Place the orange quarters in to the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with butcher twine. Place in large baking tray and pour in the stock. Roast for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours until cooked through and the juices run clear.
Meanwhile, place the potato wedges on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss well to coat. Roast alongside the chicken for 35 mins, turning occasionally.
To make the sauce, heat a non-stick frying pan, add the Parma ham slices, cook for 1-2 mins each side until crispy. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using kitchen scissors, cut into large pieces. Set aside. Heat the remaining butter in a large saucepan, add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins until softened. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 3-5 mins. Mix in the crispy Parma ham. Serve on a platter with the chicken, garnished with the extra sage leaves and remaining orange zest. Serve with the potato wedges.