This Cranberry and Sage roast chicken recipe contains all of the traditional flavours of Christmas; zesty tangelos, crispy sage and tangy cranberries. It’s a fresh and light alternative to the traditional roast turkey.

Serves 6

What you’ll need:

100g butter, room temperature

5 tangelos

20 sage leaves

1 garlic clove

¾ cup dried cranberries

½ teaspoon sea salt

1.5kg whole chicken (approx.)

2 red onions, roughly sliced

1 tbs olive oil

1 bunch of fresh kale

½cup pecans, toasted

How to put together:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Add the butter, zest of 1 tangelo, 15 sage leaves, garlic clove, ¼ cup of dried cranberries and sea salt to a food processor.
3. Blend until you have a smooth butter with flecks of sage and cranberries.
4. Add the chicken to a roasting tray breast side up.
5. Cut 1 tangelo into wedges and stuff into the cavity of the chicken.
6. Tuck the red onions in around the outside of the chicken and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Using your hands gently loosen the skin away from the breast being careful not to create any holes.
8. Push 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture underneath the skin of each breast.
9. Rub another tablespoon of the butter mixture over the outside of the chicken.
10. Juice 2 tangelos and pour juice over the chicken and onions.
11. Roast chicken in the oven for 1 hour and40 minutes, basting with the juices every 40 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the roasting tray for 5 minutes.
13. Remove the kale leaves from the stalks.
14. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter mixture in a large fry pan over a high heat and add the kale leaves.
15. Cook fast and hot for 1 minute making sure to continually toss the kale.
16. Remove the kale from the pan and add the remaining 5 sage leaves, cook for 1 minute until crisp
17. Place the roast chicken onto a large serving dish and surround with the kale leaves.
18. Cut and peel the remaining tangelos into segments and tuck these in amongst the kale leaves.
19. Scatter ½ cup dried cranberries, toasted pecans and roasted red onions throughout the salad.
20. Place the crispy sage leaves on top of the chicken and serve the chicken juices from the pan in a jug on the side