Roast chicken with the trimmings

Categories: October

Ingredients

• 1.6kg free-range chicken
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 6 rashers smoked back bacon, halved lengthways
• 1 bunch watercress, leaves picked
• handful of chopped fresh parsley
• small handful of chopped fresh chives
• 45g unsalted butter, softened
• 30g dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp flour
• 200ml chicken stock, hot

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 220˚C/fan 200˚C/gas 7. Rinse the chicken inside and out, pat dry with kitchen paper and tie the legs with string.

2. Make the herb butter. Mix the herbs, 30g butter and breadcrumbs in a bowl with some sea salt and black pepper. From the neck end of the chicken, work your fingers between the skin and the breast. Push in the herb butter and spread it evenly across the breast. Place the chicken in a roasting tin, coat with the olive oil, season well and scatter with oregano. Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, lower the oven to 200˚C/fan 180˚C/gas 6 and roast for a further 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, roll each bacon strip up tightly and secure with a cocktail stick. Scatter around the chicken in the tin and cook it all for another 20 minutes. The bacon and chicken should be golden, and the chicken juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and set aside for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Skim the fat from the tin, then place the tin over a medium heat. Mix the butter and flour together and whisk the into the chicken juices for 1 minute. Gradually add the stock, then bubble for 5 minutes, whisking, until thickened. Season and strain into a jug to serve.

5. Put the chicken on a large platter, garnish with watercress and serve with the bacon, buttery mash and honey-roast parsnips.

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