Café Cecilia’s Roast Chicken with Datterini + Aioli Salad

We tested Café Cecilia’s Roast Chicken with Datterini Tomatoes, Baby Gem, and Aioli Salad (p. 175 in the Cafe Cecilia Cookbook ) and we’ve had a blast cooking through this book. ≈≈≈

Roast Chicken That’s Tender, Juicy… and Needs a Backup Hype Salad

Let’s start with the headline: Café Cecilia’s Roast Chicken with Datterini Tomatoes, Baby Gem, and Aioli Salad is a two-day commitment with big payoff—if you play it right.

The brine ensures juicy meat. The roasting method? Flawless. The chicken comes out bronzed and glistening like it just stepped off the Euro summer yacht. But here’s the catch: the brine is under-salted. And unless you plan to eat this with the exact salad it’s paired with (and you should), the chicken on its own is… well, a bit shy in the flavour department.

Fortunately, the blistered plum tomatoes + aioli + Baby Gem combo is pure magic—savory, tangy, creamy, and bright. It makes the dish. Think of it less as a side salad, more as a sauce-dressed throne for your golden roast bird.

Ingredients (Serves 5–6)

For the Chicken + Salad:

• 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.2 kg / 2 lb 12 oz)
• Small piece of butter (room temp)
• 20 red Datterini tomatoes (or small plum tomatoes)
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 4 heads Baby Gem lettuce, leaves separated
• 4 tbsp Aioli (homemade or good quality store-bought)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

For the Brine:

• 1 lemon, halved
• 5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 50g (2½ tbsp) table salt
• 2 litres (8½ cups) water

Step-by-Step Method (Yes, It’s a Two-Day Affair)

Day One – Brine That Bird

1. Add all brine ingredients to a large pot with 2 litres of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. Submerge chicken in the cooled brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Day Two – Roast + Salad Glory

1. Remove the chicken from brine 30 minutes before cooking. Let it come to room temp.
2. Preheat oven to 240°C / 475°F / Gas Mark 9.
3. Rub chicken with butter, place in roasting pan.
4. Immediately drop oven temp to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile…
5. Prick tomatoes with a knife, season with salt & pepper, drizzle with olive oil.
6. Roast tomatoes alongside chicken for 40 minutes until blistered, not burnt. Set aside in a bowl.

Final steps:
7. Rest chicken for 15 minutes. Pour pan juices over the roasted tomatoes.
8. Add Baby Gem leaves, aioli, and lemon juice. Toss to coat.
9. Arrange salad on a warm platter. Place the roast chicken on top. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Moody Notes:

• That Salad? Mandatory. The chicken’s low-salt brine means you need the aioli and tomatoes for balance.
• The roast method is bulletproof. This bird is tender, bronzed, and rested like it just came from a spa.
• The salad makes it sing. Juicy roast chicken meets bright acidity, creamy aioli, and crisp greens. It’s texture, contrast, and redemption.

Final Mood:

✰✰✰✰ star TRY

This is a recipe for when you want to impress—but also need a buffer in case your bird comes out basic. With the aioli salad and tomatoes doing the heavy lifting, this dish becomes a full plate of contrast and care. It’s humble, but dressed up. Like a French country meal with a good playlist.

Full marks for the Datterini-Aioli-Salad Save™

5 stars for technique

3 stars for the brine