The magic of this dish is in the flavours — juicy roasted chicken paired with sweet, juicy nectarines and a touch of cinnamon. The buttery sauce gives it a rich, silky finish that ties it all together. It’s simple enough for a family lunch but still impressive when friends drop by. Serve it with roasted veg, a fresh salad, or some soft rolls for a proper festive spread. Make the sauce ahead of time so you can spend more moments with the people around the table.
1 Food Lover’s Market fresh whole chicken 4-6 fresh yellow nectarines 10 ml (2 tsp) smoked paprika (from the Food Lover’s Market spice bar) Salt, to taste 1 whole cinnamon stick 60 ml (¼ cup) Food Lover’s Market salted butter 60 ml (¼ cup) brandy (can be replaced with orange juice)
To prepare the sauce: Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Place the chicken inside a roasting pan. Brush the chicken with oil and lightly sprinkle with paprika and salt to season. Add some whole and some sliced fresh nectarines to the roasting dish. Cover with foil, roast for 1 hour. Roast for a further 15 minutes, uncovered. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. In the meantime prepare the sauce.
To prepare the sauce:
Add the roasted nectarines to a saucepan.
Add the cinnamon stick, brandy and salted butter.
Use a fork to mash the nectarine flesh and remove the pips.
Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
You can serve the sauce as is or blend in a blender until smooth before pouring over the roast chicken. Prepared side vegetables of your choice to serve, and enjoy.
