It’s been a star of the menu since day one — now, here’s your call to recreate our signature Rôtisserie Chicken with Green Olives at home. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser to satiate all your Francophile cravings.

 

INGREDIENTS
1 free-range whole chicken, about 2kg
1 tbsp butter, melted
200g pitted green Sicilian olives, drained
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges

BRINE (SEE NOTE BELOW) 
2.5 litres water
75g table salt
½ bunch thyme leaves
½ bunch parsley stalks
zest of ½ lemon
2 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
½ tbsp honey

GREEN OLIVE RUB
50g Sicilian green olives, pitted
1 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly toasted
2 tsp dashi stock powder

To make the brine, combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Transfer to a large, deep container that’s approximately twice the size of your chicken and cool long enough to place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

To make the green olive rub, combine olives, coriander seeds and dashi stock powder in a small food processor or spice grinder and blitz until combined. Set aside in an airtight container until required.

Once the brine is cooled, place chicken in the brine to cover completely, then cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

The next day, remove chicken from brine, and spread half the olive rub all over the outside, then rub the remaining olive rub inside the chicken. Set aside in the fridge overnight, to marinate and dry.

Heat the oven to 220C (fan-forced). Place a large sheet of kitchen foil into a deep roasting tray, ensuring it reaches up the sides of the tray. Layer a same-size sheet of baking paper onto the foil, and place a wire rack on top. Place the chicken on the wire rack, and roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 160C. Bring both foil and baking paper together and fold together to seal the chicken inside. Roast for a further 1 hour. Remove from the oven and carefully open the foil packet.

Brush the chicken with the melted butter, arrange the olives around the chicken and raise the temperature to 200C. Roast for a further 30 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside to rest.

Carve at the table and serve with the chopped parsley, roasted olives, wedges of lemon and any pan juices.