Herb Roasted Chicken with Mediterranean Vegetables & Yoghurt Dip – Best Roast Chicken Recipe NZ

If you’ve been on the hunt for the best roast chicken recipe NZ-wide, you’re in the right place. At Bird & Barrow, we pride ourselves on delivering not just quality free-range chickens but also delightful ways to prepare them. Let’s explore this delicious roast chicken recipe that’s certain to make your tastebuds dance with joy.

Roast Chicken Recipe NZ – Ingredients

Serves 4 generously

1 medium or large Bird & Barrow free range whole chicken 

¼ cup olive oil

1 rounded tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 tsp dried oregano

4 garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Vegetables

2 large red capsicums, each deseeded and cut into 6 large pieces

1 large purple kumara, cut into cubes

3 medium potatoes, washed and cut into cubes

1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 stem fresh rosemary

3 medium zucchini, halved lengthways and cut into thirds

¾ cup pitted kalamata olives

150g feta, cut into cubes

Olive oil for drizzling

Yoghurt Sauce

½ telegraph cucumber

1 cup full-fat Greek yoghurt

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Handful fresh mint, roughly chopped

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method

The correct preparation will ensure the best results for this roast chicken recipe NZ.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grate the cucumber on a box grater and squeeze tightly to remove as much liquid as possible. Combine in a bowl along with the other ingredients. Season generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
3. Any roast chicken recipe in NZ would be incomplete without some generous seasoning! Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Mix together the olive oil, herbs and garlic. Rub all over the chicken and place a tablespoon or two inside the chicken too. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Tie with legs together.
4. Place on a large oven-proof tray.
5. Toss the capsicum, kumara, potatoes and red onion with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter the leaves of the rosemary stem and place vegetables around the chicken.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Toss the zucchini and olives with some olive oil and add to the vegetables on the tray. Cook for a further 45 minutes.
7. Scatter the feta cheese on top of the vegetables in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
8. Check the chicken is ready by piercing the inner thigh of the chicken and ensuring the juices run clear.
9. Tip the chicken slightly so that the internal juices run onto the tray. Place the chicken on a plate to rest. Cover loosely with tinfoil.
10. Spread the vegetables evenly across the tray. Change the oven setting to grill (high). Place the tray near the top of the oven and grill the vegetables for 3-5 minutes. This step is optional but a last blast of high heat is a great way to brown and caramelize vegetables that were tucked under the chicken.