After cooking, you can reuse the now deliciously flavoured oil to cook more chicken or make roast potatoes – simply filter through a sieve then keep it in a jar in the fridge as use as needed. Refrigerated, it will last for months.
Prep 20 min
Rest Overnight
Cook 3hr 20 min
Serves 4
Ingredients
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4 chicken legs, approx 220g each
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Salt and pepper
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Small bunches thyme and sage
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2 lemons
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1 orange
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8 garlic cloves, peeled
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2 inches root ginger, unpeeled, cut into thick slices.
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800ml extra-virgin olive oil or an olive oil/vegetable oil mix
Method
The day before, carefully and generously season the chicken, rubbing salt and pepper all over the legs, paying particular attention to the flesh near the bone. Put in a container, cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before cooking. Choose an ovenproof dish or casserole large enough to accommodate the legs in a single layer. In the bottom of the dish, make a bed of the herbs, the pared zest of the lemon and orange (a peeler is best) the garlic and ginger. Lay the chicken on top, skin-side up and pour over the oil, which should submerge all but the very top skin of the chicken.
Put in the middle shelf of the oven at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 140C (120C)/275F/gas 1 for three hours.
After cooking, let the chicken sit for at least an hour. To serve, lift the legs from the oil with a slotted spoon, letting the excess oil drip back into the dish.