Lime and Paprika Roast Chicken Image by Author

Lime and Paprika Roast Chicken Ingredients:

• 1 Organic Free-Range Chicken (1½-2kg)
• ½ Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ Cup of Coarsely Chopped Oregano Leaves
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Limes
• 3 Teaspoons of Sweet Paprika
• 2 Teaspoons of Ground Cumin
• Salt Flakes (for seasoning)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper (for seasoning)

Note: Use whatever chicken you have to hand if you can’t acquire an organic free-range chicken

Method:

1. Finely zest 2 limes into a small bowl and then extract the juice from both of them and set both the finely grated lime zest and juice aside, separately
2. Peel and finely chop the garlic
3. Rinse and coarsely chop the fresh oregano
4. In a small-medium mixing bowl combine the olive oil, the finely grated lime zest, the lime juice, the oregano, the garlic, the sweet paprika and the ground cumin and mix well
5. Rub the lime mixture all over the chicken and then season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
6. Preheat BBQ grill to medium
7. Line a large roasting pan or oven tray with baking paper
8. Put the lime and paprika seasoned chicken into the prepared roasting pan or oven tray
9. Place the roasting pan with the seasoned chicken onto the BBQ grill, cover with BBQ lid and roast for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is golden and cooked through. Remember to baste occasionally
10. Once cooked allow the chicken to stand for 10 minutes before carving and serving

Herbal Pan Juices and Vegetable Water Gravy:

1. While the lime and paprika roast chicken rests make the gravy, if desired. Use the herbal roasting pan juices along with some vegetable water, should you be serving boiled vegetables as accompaniment to the lime and paprika roast chicken. Here’s how:
2. Simply add the desired volume of vegetable water to the lime and paprika roast chicken juices already in the roasting pan and bring to a simmer
3. Season to taste with onion salt and freshly ground white pepper
4. In a screw top jar combine the thickening agent (potato starch, cornflour or plain flour etc) with warm water or warm vegetable water, firmly secure the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine thoroughly
5. Gradually stir the thickening mixture into the gravy until desired gravy thickness is attained
6. If your gravy turns out over lumpy then use a fine mesh strainer to strain the gravy prior to serving
7. It is probably easiest to transfer gravy to a gravy boat and let your dinners self-serve their gravy

Serves: 6

• Serve lime and paprika roast chicken with a selection of pan roasted vegetables (potato, sweet potato, parsnip, carrots, pumpkin etc.) and steamed or boiled vegetables (peas, snow peas, broccoli, beans, carrots, spinach, silver beet etc.)
• Spoon gravy over chicken and vegetables or your dinners can self-serve their gravy form a gravy boat themselves
• Alternatively serve with a salad and steakhouse chips