Whole Roasted Chicken Leg and Roast Potatoes

Whole chicken leg of drumstick and thigh served with potatoes roasted in chicken juices

Whole chicken legs are often available to buy in packs from supermarkets, each pack usually containing four to eight legs. This can represent a very cost effective family meal and the legs are delicious cooked up in a number of ways. Consisting of both the drumstick and the thigh, the whole legs are a tasty and welcome alternative to either, offering a contrast in the two different textures of chicken meat.

Chicken legs are rubbed with olive oil and salted for roasting

Ingredients per Person

6 to 8 small new potatoes, unpeeled
1 whole chicken leg
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
2 tbsp frozen peas

Peeling cooked potatoes for roasting

Directions

Begin by cooking the potatoes in their skins by simmering them in slightly salted water for about half an hour until just soft. Drain, return to the pot, cover and leave to cool.

Rested whole chicken leg is plated

Preheat your oven to 400F/200C. Rub the chicken legs all over with extra virgin olive oil and season with plenty of salt. Lay them on a roasting tray and bake for about forty minutes, until crisp and golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer.

Roasted potatoes are drained on kitchen paper

Remove the chicken legs to a plate and cover to rest. Rub the skins off the peeled potatoes and add them to the tray with the hot chicken juices. Stir them carefully around and put in to the oven for twenty minutes. Transfer to a kitchen paper covered plate to drain while you add the peas to boiling water for three minutes.

Plate the chicken leg with the potatoes alongside. Drain the peas through a colander and spoon on to the plate for service.

Roasted potatoes are plated with chicken leg