Roast Chicken

Health benefits:

• High in protein
• Contains Vitamin B6, Selenium

Preparation & cooking time:

30 mins preparation time 

1 to 2 hours cooking time 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

• 1.35kg/3lb oven-ready free range fresh chicken 
• ½ lemon halved  
• 1 large bay leaf 
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme 
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil 
• 25g/1oz butter or non dairy butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves 
• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1kg/2lb 4oz medium floury potatoes, preferably Maris Piper or King Edward 
• 1 tbsp of sunflower oil 
• 250g fresh green beans 
• flaked rock salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Method 

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. 
• Remove any string from the chicken and place the lemon and bay leaf inside the cavity. Pour a table spoon of sunflower oil on the chicken, season inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper, massage the oil and the seasoning into the chicken. Sprinkle with the chopped thyme over all sides.  
• Transfer the chicken onto a roasting tray, place kitchen foil over the chicken, then transfer to the oven for 1¼ hours, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked (15 mins before the chicken is cooked remove the foil to allow the outside to crisp up even more. 
• Chop the potatoes into evenly-sized chunks. Put in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for about 15 minutes, or until very tender. Test with the tip of a knife. 
• Drain the potatoes in a large colander and return to the saucepan, hand a table spoon of sunflower oil, season with a little salt and black pepper. 
• Place to potatoes in a roasting tray and put into the oven 30 mins before the chicken is cooked. 
• After taking the chicken out place kitchen foil and a tea towel over it and let it rest for 20mins 
• Place the green beans into  saucepan with water, boil the greens for 2 to mins then drain 
•  Then cut the chicken into chunky pieces and serve with a little low sodium instant gravy (no artificial or colours – this is optional) 

• Wheat-free
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free if you use non dairy butter