Beer Chicken Recipe

This is a recipe i wrote for a student magazine, it had to be affordable but also taste good and feed a lot of people. This is what i came up with, taking inspiration from jamaican, french and american recipes.

Poulet à la bière jusqu’à ce cul (chicken with beer up its arse)

Lager chicken with jerk rub, sweet potato wedges and a creamy mushroom beer sauce

Serves 6

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 whole large chicken

1 can of lager

Olive oil

Cumin

Paprika

Chili Powder

Sweet potatoes (about 1.2kg)

2 Limes

Mushrooms

1 Clove Garlic

150ml Double Cream

Butter

Sugar

Salt & Pepper

Rocket or Salad

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 200˚C or if using BBQ wait till flames have just settled

Step 1: Mix together in a small bowl or mug 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon sugar, half teaspoon chili powder with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the chicken. Season chicken with pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 2: Crack open can of lager and pour half into a glass, reserve this for later (don’t drink it), insert the half full can into the chicken, it should just be poking out of the bottom.

Step 3: If using BBQ wait till flames have died down, and if chicken doesn’t fit in standing upright wrap it in foil and lay it flat on the rack. If using oven place chicken standing upright in a oven tray lined with foil. Cook for around 1 hour to 1 and a half hours or until chicken is tender and the juices run clear.

Step 4: Meanwhile wash and peel the sweet potatoes and cut into orange segment size pieces. Place in a roasting tin with 2 large knobs of butter and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the pieces so they are coated in the oil. Scatter over 3 teaspoons of sugar and squeeze over juice of 2 limes, place the squeezed pieces of lime into the tray with the potatoes. Season with a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper. Cook in the oven about half an hour before chicken is ready. Turn the potatoes once during cooking.

Step 5: When the potatoes have gone in the oven, fry a handful of sliced mushrooms in some butter, a clove of crushed garlic and a teaspoon of sugar. When browned pour in the reserved glass of lager and simmer for 10-15 mins until it has reduced by half. Add 150ml cream and simmer gently for another 10 mins or until the sauce has thickened to a gravy like consistency.

Step 6: Take out chicken and leave to rest for couple minutes, transfer to board and carve put a couple of spoonfuls of the juices from the tray into the sauce. Take out potatoes and put them onto the plates. Place chicken on top of potatoes and pour over as much of the sauce as you want. Garnish with a small bunch of Rocket or some salad.

Step 7: Serve with a glass of cold lager!!