Roast Chicken with Croutons and Roasted Veg

• 1whole chicken, about 1.8kg
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1lemon, halved
• 1whole garlic bulb, halved across
• 8 gfresh thyme sprigs
• 1kgpotatoes, cut into 4cm chunks
• 4carrots, cut into thick batons
• 3parsnips, cut into thick batons
• 2onions, cut into wedges
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 150 gsourdough bread, torn into chunks
• 1 tbspplain flour
• 500mlchicken stock
• 400gspring greens or savoy cabbage, steamed

Method

1. 1Prepare the vegetables, then take the chicken from the fridge while the oven heats. Heat the oven to 200C fan. Pat the chicken dry, push the lemon halves, half the garlic head and half the thyme into the cavity, rub the skin with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. 2Toss the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions and the other garlic half in your largest roasting tin with the remaining oil, the rest of the thyme, a teaspoon of salt and pepper. Sit the chicken on top, breast up.
3. 3Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, turning the vegetables once, until the skin is deep golden and the vegetables are tender and caramelised. Check the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone reaches 75°C for 30 seconds; cook longer if needed.
4. 4Lift the chicken onto a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Scatter the torn bread over the vegetables in the tray and return to the oven for 10 minutes until the croutons are golden and have soaked up some of the juices. Reserve the roasted garlic half for the gravy, then tip the vegetables and croutons onto a warm platter. While the chicken rests, steam the greens for 5–7 minutes until tender.
5. 5Put the tin over a medium heat, squeeze in the soft garlic, stir the flour into the juices for a minute, then whisk in the stock and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens to a gravy. Season.
6. 6Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted vegetables, croutons, gravy and greens.

Per serving

kcal

842

protein

49.9g

fibre

13g

carbs

72.2g

fat

41g