Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme, Served with Spring Greens

Ingredients

For the Roast Chicken

• 1 Organic Whole Chicken (1.8kg -1.9kg)
• 5 cloves of Garlic
• 2 Lemons
• 1 large bunch of Thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 100g softened Butter
• 1 onion
• Olive oil

For the Vegetables

• 500g Baby Carrots
• 2 tbsp Honey
• Vegetable Oil
• 50g Butter
• 400g Spring Greens - cabbage, purple sprouting, asparagus, spinach or kale

For the Roast Potatoes

• 4 large Potatoes (peeled and chopped)

Method

1. Remove the chicken from the fridge or defrost before cooking. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 6.
2. Grate the zest from both lemons and cut the lemons in half. Mash half the zest, some seasoning and the chopped thyme into the soft butter, then spread this all over the chicken and place it in a large roasting tin. Set aside the rest of the zest for the sauce.
3. Slice a quarter off the top of the garlic bulb and push the cut-off top, 1 lemon half and the thyme sprigs inside the chicken cavity. Put the rest of the garlic bulb in a square of foil, drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, wrap loosely then add to the roasting tin. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove the garlic bulb if the cloves are soft. Baste the chicken and roast for another 15 minutes.
4. Toss the potatoes and 2 lemon halves with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and some seasoning then add these to the roasting tin around the bird, stirring to coat in the buttery juices. Roast for a further 45 minutes or until the chicken is ready (the juices should run clear when the thickest part of the leg is pierced).
5. While the chicken and potatoes are roasting, prepare the carrots and greens. Sweat the greens in the butter for 2-3 minutes until melted, cook the carrots in a little water until it is nearly all gone then caramalise with the honey.
6.  Carve and serve with the spring greens and carrots.