Ingredients
- 1.8kg (4lb) free-range chicken
- 25g (1oz) butter, softened
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 small head garlic, cut in half horizontally
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. Put the chicken into a roasting tin just large enough to hold it comfortably. Spread the butter all over the chicken, then drizzle with the olive oil and season.
- Squeeze the lemon juice over then put one half lemon inside the chicken. Put the other half and the garlic into the tin.
- Put the chicken into the oven for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5 and roast the chicken for a further 45min–1hr or until the leg juices run clear when pierced with a skewer or sharp knife. While the bird is cooking, baste from time to time with pan juices. Add a splash of water to the tin if the juices dry out.
- Take out the chicken, put on a warmed plate and cover with foil. Leave for 10 minutes before carving, so juices that have risen to the surface soak back into the meat — this will make it more moist and easier to slice. Mash some of the garlic into the pan juices and serve the gravy with the chicken.
Notes
Serve with boiled new potatoes and freshly cooked seasonal veg — green beans or mangetout go well.
Easy ways to jazz it up:
- Push sprigs of fresh tarragon under the breast skin before roasting.
- Pour a glass of dry white wine into the roasting tin instead of the lemon juice.
- Whisk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard into the roasting juices before serving.