Mob say: “Something magic happens when then juices from the chicken saturate deep into the sourdough croutons in this dish, getting them all caramelised and intensely chicken-y. We’ve used a whole chicken here because it feels fancy-ish for midweek but still cooks in the same amount of time as chicken thighs.”

Serves 4

Takes 1 hour

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
6 tbsp ’nduja
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5 slices of sourdough, roughly torn into chunks
300g cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp crème fraîche
5 sprigs of basil, leaves picked

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

Use sharp scissors to cut down either side of the backbone (on the underside of the chicken) to remove it. Place the chicken on a baking tray. Push down on the point between the breasts until you hear a little crack to help flatten it. Pull the skin to release it from the meat slightly, then use your hand to distribute 2 tablespoons of ’nduja under the breast skin.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven.

Nestle the sourdough, cherry tomatoes and remaining 4 tablespoons of ’nduja around the chicken, tossing them to coat in the olive oil and juices. Return to the oven for 30 minutes. When the chicken skin is golden and crisp, transfer the chicken and croutons to a chopping board to rest.

Set the tray on the hob over a medium heat. Add 250ml of water to the tray and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the tomato and ’nduja from the base. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly. Turn off the heat and stir through the crème fraîche.

Serve the chicken with the croutons and pour the sauce over everything. Garnish

Tip:

If you don’t feel confident spatchcocking a chicken, watch a YouTube video or swap for 8 skin-on chicken thighs.

Mob 6 (£22, Ebury Press) is out now

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