This is a very easy and fast way of roasting a chicken in only 40 minutes as you have all the bones removed except for the wings bones. Ask the butcher to keep it in one piece as you will be putting some good stuff between the skin and the meat.
I always buy organic, free range chicken, especially as I once took a holiday next to a chicken farm (by mistake) and after taking a look around the farm, decided never to eat non-organic, free range chicken again, after what I experienced.
Some markets like WholeFoods look at you blankly when you ask them to bone out a chicken, but my local Bristol Farms doesn’t flinch at my request.
Lay the chicken flat on a lined baking sheet (I use non-stick aluminum foil). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Stuffing
This stuffing is going to be put between the skin and the meat.
1 small 5.5oz log goat cheese, room temperature
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
grated rind of a large lemon
4 good sized scallions, chopped fairly small
1 heaped tbsp fresh sage, chopped fine
2 heaped tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1/2 heaped tsp sweet paprika
cayenne pepper (if you like a kick)
salt and freshly ground pepper
Put all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and mix together well.
With your fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat of the breast of the chicken and shove the stuffing mixture in between wherever possible, pushing it down to the bottom of the breast.
Also the thigh/leg area can take the stuffing too. Turn the chicken over and slather any remaining stuffing on the underside of the chicken.
Sprinkle with a little olive oil and more salt and pepper then turn the chicken over.
You should be able to see the stuffing under the skin of the chicken. Again, sprinkle with a light drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper, then put in the oven for about 40 mins until the skin is browned and it is cooked through. Sometimes it can take a little longer, so test it for done-ness. When cooked, transfer it to a wooden chopping board and let rest about 5 mins.
PS Of course, I completely forgot to take a picture of the browned crispy topped chicken when it was cooked as we fell upon it!!