Lemon roast chicken with veggies

Need a change from your regular roast chicken? This recipe has a special lemony twist – it's both stuffed with lemons during the roast and served with a lemon gravy.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1.8 kg whole free-range chicken
• 1 small bunch oregano
• 1 small bunch thyme
• 3 lemons (1 quartered, 1 sliced, 1 left whole)
• 400 g Desiree potatoes, quartered
• 400 g jap pumpkin, seeded and cut into large bite–sized pieces
• 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• steamed green peas, to serve

Resting time: 15 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
2. Stuff the chicken loosely with oregano, thyme and the lemon quarters. Carefully slide a few of the lemon slices between the skin and the meat on the breast side. Pat dry the skin.
3. Place the potato, pumpkin, fennel and garlic cloves in a baking dish and drizzle generously with oil. Season to taste, then toss to coat well. Roast the chicken and veggies for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until golden, crisp and just cooked through.
4. Squeeze the remaining lemon and finely grate the zest. When chicken is cooked, remove the chicken to a shallow bowl and rest for about 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted veggies to a baking dish and continue roasting them if they need a little longer, or turn the oven off, cover the dish with foil and keep warm.
5. Place the pan with the juices over medium heat and stir in the flour until a paste forms. Gradually add the lemon juice and zest and stir until well combined. If necessary, add a little water or chicken stock to adjust the consistency. Stir in any resting juices from the chicken.
6. Carve the chicken into pieces and serve with the roast veges, peas and gravy.

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.