Simple Roast Chicken: A Taste of Childhood

I remember my childhood Sunday lunches to be long lazy affairs around the pool, with delicious roasts or barbecues- lamb chops, chicken and boerewors (a South African traditional sausage)- and a variety of salads- always the standard lettuce-cucumber-tomato combination, and maybe carrot salad, coleslaw and potato salad. Somehow I recall always being roped into helping my mom in the kitchen while the rest of the family disappeared, which in retrospect seems unfair since I am the youngest of three children. But I think I at least learned a few things while helping out in the kitchen, and it likely fuelled my interest in cooking from an early age.

One of my family favourites is my mom's roast chicken. It's a classic dish with many variations, but there's something about the sweetness of childhood memories that's makes the familiar aroma and flavour combination my all time favourite. To reduce preparation and cooking time my mom would use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken, which she would marinate the night before. Of course, this recipe is suitable for the barbecue too, and for a decadent burst of flavour, try a basting of melted butter, garlic and lemon juice.

Recipe Ingredients

10 Chicken pieces, fresh and free range preferable and trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon Montreal style chicken spice mix (or any other chicken spice mix)
1 teaspoon curry powder
Soya sauce to coat chicken (about 1-2 tablespoons)
Salt to taste (some spice mixes already contain salt, so be careful not to over-salt)
1 small grated onion (beware the tears!)
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
Lemon juice (optional)

Combine chicken with all the ingredients until well-coated. Store covered in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 1-2 hours to allow the flavours to marinate.
Arrange chicken pieces on a roasting tray and place under the grill/ broiler for approximately 10 to 15 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve hot with a side salad and fresh Garlic and Herb bread.