Lemon and garlic roast chicken recipe

This garlic and lemon roast chicken is a kitchen classic. With some seasoning and thyme springs, you can easily make a tasty roast dinner for your friends and family. It takes two hours to prepare, but this roast is definitely worth the wait. Serve it with some herb smashed baby roasties, courgette peashoot and pomegranate salad and ricotta and lemon veggies.

Ingredients

• 100g butter, softened
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 lemons
• Small bunch chives, finely chopped
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2kg British organic free-range chicken
• 300ml white wine
• 1tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Heat the oven to Mark 6/200°C. Mix the butter, chopped garlic, zest of 1 lemon and the chopped herbs together and season well with salt and pepper. Loosen the breast skin of the chicken and carefully (without tearing the skin) push the herb butter underneath, spreading it evenly over each breast. Put the chicken into a roasting tray, quarter the lemons and add to the tray. Pour the wine and 100ml water into the tin, drizzle with olive oil and season. Cover with foil and roast for 45 mins.
2. Remove the foil, baste the chicken with the juices in the tin and roast for another 30 mins or until golden brown - the juices should run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken leg. Cover with foil for 15 mins and allow to rest.