Roast chicken with potatoes and lemon
1 organic or free-range chicken, about 1.6kg/31⁄2lb
2 garlic cloves, peeled, but left whole
15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or oregano, or 5ml/1 tsp dried, plus 2 – 3 fresh sprigs of thyme or oregano
800g/13⁄4lb potatoes
juice of 1 lemon
60ml/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
300ml/1⁄2 pint/11⁄4 cups hot water
salt and ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Place the chicken, breast side down, in a large roasting pan, then tuck the garlic cloves and the thyme or oregano sprigs inside the bird.
2 Peel the potatoes and quarter them lengthways. If they are very large, slice them lengthways into thinner pieces. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken, then pour the lemon juice over the chicken and potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper, drizzle the olive oil over the top and add about three-quarters of the chopped fresh or dried thyme or oregano. Pour the hot water into the roasting pan.
3 Roast the chicken and potatoes for 30 minutes, then remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully turn the chicken over. Season the bird with a little more salt and pepper, sprinkle over the remaining fresh or dried herbs, and add more hot water, if needed.
Reduce the oven temperature to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas 5.
4 Return the chicken and potatoes to the oven and roast them for another hour, or slightly longer, by which time both the chicken and the potatoes will be a golden colour. Serve with a crisp leafy salad.
Rating ****
Rating ****