Julius Roberts’ epic roast chicken

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C fan/ gas 9. Spatchcock the chicken by turning it over and cutting along one side of the spine from the tail to the neck. Turn it back over, open out the two sides and press down hard on the breast to flatten it. Your butcher will gladly do this for you.
2. Lay the chicken in a large, high-sided roasting tin, season generously with salt on both sides and leave for an hour at room temperature so it loses the chill of the fridge.
3. When ready, generously drizzle the skin with olive oil and work it into all the nooks and crannies. Smash the garlic bulb and hide the cloves underneath the chicken, then roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the skin begins to turn golden brown.
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4. Meanwhile, mix the cream, tarragon and mustard in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. After 20-30 minutes, turn the oven down to 140°C fan/gas 3, take out the chicken and pour the white wine into the tray. Then pour the tarragon cream all over the chicken and put back in the oven for 30-40 minutes until it’s ready. To judge when it’s cooked, I check the thickest part of the thigh witha temperature probe, looking for 65-70°C. If you don’t have one, prod the same area with a skewer and ensure the juices run clear. At this point, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes, covered loosely with a bit of foil. Remove the rested chicken from the tray onto a board to carve it, putting the bits of chicken back in the tray as you do so. Then scrape any juices from carving back in there too. Serve as you like, with lots of the sauce, garlic, potatoes and a zingy green salad.