If you can roast a chicken, you’ll never go hungry. That’s what I always say. Once you learn to roast a chicken, you just can’t go wrong even if you lose your Mom’s precious recipe or marinate with the ‘wrong’ ingredients because here, just about anything goes .

Here’s what I do when I make roast chicken. For the seasoning, I use salt and pepper.

I grab a few sprigs of Chinese parsley and a few cloves of garlic and pound them to a paste with my mortar and pestle (just like Jamie Oliver, so there ) .

I love the pungent smell of Chinese parsley but you can pretty much use rosemary, thyme or any other herbs you fancy.

Then I plop a generous dollop of butter into the paste to make a rub. Rub the mixture evenly all over the chicken, including under the skin.

Be gentle otherwise you will tear the skin like I did here. I did this in a rush so I ended up with a not-so-pretty roast chicken . Leave to marinade for 3-4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

When I’m ready to roast the chicken, I preheat the oven to 180 degrees F. Stuff a few stalks of Chinese parsley and a few cloves of garlic into the cavity of the chicken before placing into well-greased roasting pan.

Roast for about an hour or until chicken is sufficiently browned without being burnt. You can test for doneness by sticking a knife into the parts with the thickest meat. If the meat is soft and white, it’s done.

I’ve used estimates of ingredients and roasting time here because the actual amounts you use will depend on the size of the chicken you’re preparing. If you’re thinking of roasting a turkey for Christmas, this recipe works great too. Simply adjust the ingredients and time accordingly and you’re all set! Burp!!

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