Roast Chicken - Serves 4 to 6

Nothing says sunday lunch better than a crispy skinned, juicy centre and a tasty  roast chook! This recipe is a little bit fancy as you stuff the skin with butter and place sage leaves on top so when the skin cooks it goes transparent and the leaves come thru and look amazing.

Ingredients:

50g Butter, Softened
Bunch of Sage Leaves
3 Garlic cloves
1 Lemon, Halved
1 Chicken (1.5kgs)
1 Tablespoon Flour
250mls Chicken Stock

Method:

Heat oven to 200C
Use your hand to loosen the chicken skin away from the breast, then push most of the butter mix into the gap, add the sage leaves on the top of the butter so you can see it thru the skin. Rub the rest of the butter all over the outside of the chicken, then stuff the cavity with the lemon halves and the garlic.
Sit the chicken breast-side up in a roasting tin, and roast on the middle shelf for 1 hr 30 mins, basting with the buttery juices after about 40 mins. When the chicken is golden, crispy-skinned and the juices run clear, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 mins. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate (keep the lemon and garlic in the tin) and rest for at least another 15 mins. Serve with veggies, Yorkshire puds and gravy (see below).


Note: To make the gravy, squeeze the juice out of the cooked lemon halves and discard the skins. Place the tin on a low heat, stir in flour and sizzle until light brown. Gradually pour in the stock and cook for a few mins. Strain the gravy into a jug and serve with the chicken.