ROASTED CHICKEN WITH GRAPES AND FRESH ROOT GINGER

This dish, with its blend of spices and sweet fruit, is inspired by Moroccan flavors. Serve with couscous, mixed with a handful of cooked chickpeas.

SERVES FOUR
INGREDIENTS
  • 1-1.6 kg / 2¼-3½ lb chicken
  • 115-130 g / 4-4½ fresh root ginger, grated
  • 6-8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • about 30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 large pinches of ground cinnamon
  • 500 g / 1¼ lb seeded red and green grapes
  • 500 g / 1¼ lb seedless green grapes
  • 5-7 shallots, chopped
  • about 250 ml / 8 fl oz / 1 cup chicken stock
  • salt and ground pepper
VARIATIONS
  • This dish is good make with duck in place of the chicken. Marinate and roast as above, adding 15-30 ml / 1-2 tbsp honey to the pan sauce as it cooks.
  • Use boneless chicken breast portions, with the skin still attached, instead of a whole chicken. Pan-fry the chicken portions, rather than roasting them.
COOK’S TIP

Seeded Italia or muscat grapes have a delicious, sweet fragrance and are perfect for using in this recipe.

  1. Rub the chicken with half of the ginger, the garlic, half of the lemon juice, the olive oil, cinnamon, salt and lots of pepper. Leave to marinate.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the red and green seeded grapes in half, remove the seeds and set aside. Add the whole green seedless grapes to the halved ones.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Heat a heavy frying pan or flameproof casserole until hot.
  4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, add to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. (There should be enough oil on the chicken to brown it, but, if not, add a little extra).
  5. Put some of the shallots into the chicken cavity with the garlic and ginger from the marinade and as many of the red and green grapes that will fit inside. Roast in the oven for 40-60 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
  6. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm. Pour off any oil from the pan, reserving any sediment in the base of the pan. Add the remaining shallots to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
  7. Add half the remaining red and green grapes, the remaining ginger, the stock and any juices from the roast chicken, and cook over a medium-high heat until the grapes have cooked down to a thick sauce. Season with salt, ground black pepper, and the remaining lemon juice to taste.
  8. Serve the chicken on a warmed serving dish, surrounded by the sauce and the reserved grapes.