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Roast Chicken, Basil and Bulgur Wheat Salad

by Nigella

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Introduction

This is a glorious pile-up of a dish: crunchy, Parmesan-sprinkled lemony lettuce encircling a mound of bulgur wheat studded with vegetables and topped with garlicky, crisp-skinned chicken that’s splodged fragrantly with a basil sauce. I let the bulgur wheat dominate, keeping the chicken modestly portioned, but if you’re feeding ravenous carnivores, by all means cook more chicken. It’s a beautiful banquet of a dish that makes any occasion feel instantly celebratory.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Image of Nigella's Roast Chicken, Basil and Bulgur Wheat Salad — Photo by Hannah Rose Hughes for Ocado

Ingredients

Serves: 8

Metric U.S.

FOR THE CHICKEN

1 large (approx 1.8-2kg/4lbs) whole chicken (preferably organic)
6 fat garlic cloves (unpeeled)
3 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

FOR THE BULGUR WHEAT

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon juice (you need 1 tablespoon for the garland, too)
100 grams flatleaf parsley (stems finely chopped to give 3 tablespoons, and leaves chopped)
500 grams bulgur wheat
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
360 grams cherry tomatoes (quartered)
300 grams radishes (quartered)
1 - 2 (approx. 300g/11oz) courgettes (diced)
100 grams Opies pickled walnuts (drained and chopped)
100 grams walnut halves (broken into pieces)

FOR THE BASIL SAUCE

100 grams fresh basil
50 grams Greek yoghurt (not low-fat)
2 teaspoons lemon juice

FOR THE SALAD LEAF GARLAND

3 hearts of romaine lettuce (torn into large-ish, bite-sized pieces)
25 grams grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

FOR THE CHICKEN

1 large (approx 1.8-2kg/4lbs) whole chicken (preferably organic)
6 fat garlic cloves (unpeeled)
3 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

FOR THE BULGUR WHEAT

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon juice (you need 1 tablespoon for the garland, too)
1 large bunch Italian parsley (stems finely chopped to give 3 tablespoons, and leaves chopped)
3 cups bulgur wheat
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
13 ounces cherry tomatoes (quartered)
11 ounces radishes (quartered)
1 - 2 (approx. 300g/11oz) zucchini (diced)
1 cup Opies pickled walnuts (drained and chopped)
1 cup walnut halves (broken into pieces)

FOR THE BASIL SAUCE

1 large bunch fresh basil
¼ cup Greek yoghurt (not low-fat)
2 teaspoons lemon juice

FOR THE SALAD LEAF GARLAND

3 hearts of romaine lettuce (torn into large-ish, bite-sized pieces)
¼ cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/425°F (though it would be better to leave the fan off). Spatchcock/butterfly the chicken by laying it breast-side down and cutting along either side of the backbone to remove it, using a sturdy pair of kitchen scissors. Turn it over and press down to flatten, arranging the legs so it lies flat.
Sit the chicken and the backbone in a large, shallow roasting tin and tumble in the garlic cloves. Pour the oil over the chicken skin, then sprinkle with the salt. Pour 200ml / ¾ cup freshly boiled water into the bottom of the tin and roast for 50 mins or until the juices run clear (insert the tip of a sharp knife where the leg meets the body to test).
Leave to rest in the tin for 15 mins, then separate the legs from the breast, and cut off the wings, transferring all the chicken (save for the backbone, which I like to chew on as a cook’s treat!) to a large board to cool for up to 1½ hours.
Remove the garlic cloves from the tin and squeeze out the soft caramel flesh into a medium-sized bowl that you can use with a stick blender later. Pour and scrape the roasting juices into the bowl of garlic, and leave this to one side.
Meanwhile, prepare the bulgur wheat. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil over a low heat in a heavy-based pan with a lid (I use one of 24cm / 10 inches diameter). Add the lemon zest and chopped parsley stalks, stirring them in the pan for 30 secs.
Turn the heat to high, add the bulgur wheat and turn in the pan until the oil is absorbed and the wheat evenly flecked with parsley and lemon. Pour over 750ml / 3 cups cold water, then add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to the boil. Clamp on the lid, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 mins, by which time the water should be absorbed and the grains soft. Take it off the heat, lift the lid and cover the pan with a clean (non-waffle) tea towel. Clamp the lid back on and leave for 10-15 mins, then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and fluff up the bulgur wheat with a couple of large forks. Turn out into a large dish to cool.
Shortly before serving the salad, add the quartered tomatoes and radishes, the diced courgette and chopped pickled and regular walnuts to the cold bulgur wheat, and toss to mix. Add the chopped parsley leaves, tossing to mix again. Taste and season as required.
For the sauce, tear the leaves off the bunch of basil, dropping them on top of the now-cold chicken juices and garlic in their bowl. Add the yoghurt and lemon juice, then puree, using a stick blender, to make a smooth, gorgeously green and fragrant sauce with a thick pouring consistency. Add salt to taste.
Drop the lettuce into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the parmesan. Toss to combine, then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil and toss to mix. Arrange the dressed lettuce around the edge of a very large platter (I use one of 45cm / 18 inches diameter). Or arrange on 2 smaller platters if you like.
Tip the prepared bulgur wheat into the middle of the garlanded serving platter and flatten the top slightly.
Tear the chicken off the bones and cut into large chunks still with the skin on. Sit the chicken on top of the bulgur wheat, then spoon over the basil sauce.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/425°F (though it would be better to leave the fan off). Spatchcock/butterfly the chicken by laying it breast-side down and cutting along either side of the backbone to remove it, using a sturdy pair of kitchen scissors. Turn it over and press down to flatten, arranging the legs so it lies flat.
Sit the chicken and the backbone in a large, shallow roasting tin and tumble in the garlic cloves. Pour the oil over the chicken skin, then sprinkle with the salt. Pour 200ml / ¾ cup freshly boiled water into the bottom of the tin and roast for 50 mins or until the juices run clear (insert the tip of a sharp knife where the leg meets the body to test).
Leave to rest in the tin for 15 mins, then separate the legs from the breast, and cut off the wings, transferring all the chicken (save for the backbone, which I like to chew on as a cook’s treat!) to a large board to cool for up to 1½ hours.
Remove the garlic cloves from the tin and squeeze out the soft caramel flesh into a medium-sized bowl that you can use with a stick blender later. Pour and scrape the roasting juices into the bowl of garlic, and leave this to one side.
Meanwhile, prepare the bulgur wheat. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil over a low heat in a heavy-based pan with a lid (I use one of 24cm / 10 inches diameter). Add the lemon zest and chopped parsley stalks, stirring them in the pan for 30 secs.
Turn the heat to high, add the bulgur wheat and turn in the pan until the oil is absorbed and the wheat evenly flecked with parsley and lemon. Pour over 750ml / 3 cups cold water, then add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to the boil. Clamp on the lid, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 mins, by which time the water should be absorbed and the grains soft. Take it off the heat, lift the lid and cover the pan with a clean (non-waffle) tea towel. Clamp the lid back on and leave for 10-15 mins, then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and fluff up the bulgur wheat with a couple of large forks. Turn out into a large dish to cool.
Shortly before serving the salad, add the quartered tomatoes and radishes, the diced zucchini and chopped pickled and regular walnuts to the cold bulgur wheat, and toss to mix. Add the chopped parsley leaves, tossing to mix again. Taste and season as required.
For the sauce, tear the leaves off the bunch of basil, dropping them on top of the now-cold chicken juices and garlic in their bowl. Add the yoghurt and lemon juice, then puree, using a stick blender, to make a smooth, gorgeously green and fragrant sauce with a thick pouring consistency. Add salt to taste.
Drop the lettuce into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the parmesan. Toss to combine, then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil and toss to mix. Arrange the dressed lettuce around the edge of a very large platter (I use one of 45cm / 18 inches diameter). Or arrange on 2 smaller platters if you like.
Tip the prepared bulgur wheat into the middle of the garlanded serving platter and flatten the top slightly.
Tear the chicken off the bones and cut into large chunks still with the skin on. Sit the chicken on top of the bulgur wheat, then spoon over the basil sauce.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead. Refrigerate leftovers of bulgur, chicken and sauce immediately and eat within 3 days (the lettuce will tend to go soft and wilted if it is stored).