Ingredients
- 1 ½kg medium chicken
- 6 lemons, halved
- 4 rosemary sprigs
- 2 onions, quartered
- 9 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g baby new potatoes, halved
- 3 lemon thyme sprigs
Method
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Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Stuff the chicken cavity with 2 lemon halves, 2 rosemary sprigs, 4 onion quarters and some seasoning. Put the chicken into a large roasting tray.
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Crush 3 garlic cloves, then add to a small bowl with the thyme leaves and olive oil, mix, then rub this all over the chicken with some seasoning.
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Arrange the potatoes around the chicken with the rest of the lemons and onions, rosemary and whole garlic cloves, and lemon thyme. Cook in the oven for 1 hr 20 mins, turning the potatoes in the pan once or twice. To check if the chicken is cooked, pierce the thigh with a skewer and the juices should run clear.
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Remove the chicken from the tray and place on a serving dish or board to rest for 15-20 mins. As you lift the chicken, let any juices pour back into the tray. Increase oven temperature to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6 and cook the potatoes for a further 10-15 mins or until tender.
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If you want gravy, use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes from the tray to a serving bowl, then use a potato masher to mash all the juices, lemons, herbs and garlic together in the roasting tray, adding a splash of water if it’s too pulpy. Push this mix through a sieve, taste the gravy and add some more seasoning if you need to. Bring everything into the garden so everyone can help themselves.