Oven for Slow Roasted Chicken

Asked by veronicacallaghan. Answered on 1st July 2015

Full question

Hi there! I have loved cooking the Slow Roasted Garlic And Lemon Chicken recipe over the past few years. I tend to go with a mix of chicken pieces rather than a whole chook e.g. a couple of drumsticks and a couple of merrylands (whole leg with thigh and drumstick). However every time I cook this I find I need to either cut the process short or reduce the heat further. Should I be cooking this with or without fan force? Thanks Veronica

Our answer

Nigella's recipe for Slow Roasted Garlic And Lemon Chicken (from Nigella Summer and on the Nigella website) gives oven temperatures that are for conventional ovens, i.e. not convection or fan forced/assisted ovens. If you have a fan assisted oven then you should reduce the temperature. Ovens vary and it is best to follow the instructions in your handbook but as a general guideline the oven temperature should be set at 20c/50F below the temperature indicated in the recipe. Even then the dish may still cook slightly more quickly.

The slow cooked chicken should be tender and almost falling off the bone. However it should not be dry, particularly if using thighs. If the chicken is becoming dry then you may like to add a little extra wine or water to the pan at the beginning of cooking. Also make sure that the foil is very tightly sealed so that no moisture escapes.