Ingredients

Serves 4

1 1.5kg (approx size 15) free range, organic chicken
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
6 medium-sized peeled potatoes (approx 1kg)
1 small lemon
1 whole bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
a handful of fresh thyme
olive oil
a handful of fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked

Instructions

1.        Wash the chicken under cold running water and then dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.

2.        Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. If time permits, do this approx 8 hours before, then cover and refrigerate.

3.        Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.

4.        Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into golf ball size pieces, put them into the water with the whole lemon and cook for 6 minutes.

5.        Drain the potatoes and allow them to steam in the covered pan for 1 minute (this will give you crispier potatoes), then remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot so their outsides get chuffed up and fluffy – this will make them lovely and crisp when they roast.

6.        While the lemon is still hot, carefully pierce it with a sharp knife or skewer 8 or 10 times.

7.        Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, pat it dry with kitchen paper and rub it all over with olive oil.

8.        Push the garlic cloves, the whole lemon and the thyme into the cavity. Then put the chicken into a roasting tin and cook in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes basting it every 20 minutes or so.  Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully lift it out of the roasting tin and onto a warm plate. 

9.        Toss the potatoes and rosemary leaves in the chicken fat until they are well coated. Make a gap in the center of the potatoes and replace the chicken into it.

10.     Remove the lemon and garlic from inside the chicken. Squeeze the garlic flesh out of the skin, and smear it all over the chicken.

11.     Discard the lemon. carve the chicken at the table with the crispy roast potatoes.