Summer Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

The ultimate Sunday roast, this family favourite of chicken, veg and gravy can all be cooked in one tin. Allow yourself plenty of time to prepare the bird – 30 minutes should do it – while cooking takes around 1hr 20. Make sure there’s enough wine left for a glass or two for the cook!

Ingredients

1.4kg corn-fed chicken 

2 lemons, halved 

5 cloves of garlic 

2 red onions peeled and cut into wedges 

1 bunch of lemon or regular thyme 

2 tsp coarse sea salt 

2 tsp coarse ground black pepper 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1kg baby new potatoes, scrubbed 

3 small or 2 large fennels, sliced 

200ml white wine 

450ml hot chicken stock 

1 tbsp cornflour

Serves 4

Method

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

  1. Preheat the oven to 190⁰c C fan, 200⁰c conventional, Centre shelf, gas 5.
  2. Take the chicken and put one whole lemon (cut into half) and two cloves of garlic into the cavity with one red onion cut into wedges and a few sprigs of thyme
  3. Place the chicken in a large roasting tin and sprinkle with the salt and pepper
  4. Squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon, push the garlic cloves between the chicken legs and under the neck skin
  5. Scatter over the thyme leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes
  6. Remove from the oven and add the remaining onions, potatoes, fennel, wine and chicken stock
  7. Cover and cook for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and turn over any vegetables that need it
  8. Cook for a further 15 minutes until the juices run clear when a knife is inserted in the chicken thigh. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a warmed serving platter
  9. Mix the cornflour with one tbsp of water to make a smooth paste
  10. Heat the roasting tin, with the gravy, directly on the cooker hob and stir in the cornflour
  11. Stir until the gravy is thickened and smooth. Serve the gravy alongside the chicken and vegetables
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