COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 hours     PREP TIME: 20 minutes     SERVES: 4-5 people

 Introduction

This super easy meal is a staple in our home, perfect for Sundays (or a quick mid-week meal) any time of the year. I often roast 2 chickens and have cold meat for lunches for days after. And the best thing is it all cooks itself so it's a super-easy way to serve a nutritious and delicious meal to your family.

Ingredients

1 large free-range or organic chicken

1 onion, skin on, sliced into rounds

1 handful thyme

1 head of garlic, skin on, separated into cloves

1 lemon cut in half

2 cups chicken stock

6 carrots cut in half then sliced lengthways

6 parsnips cut in half then lengthways (or whatever roasting vegetable is in seasons like sweet potatoes, or pumpkin)

Greens to roast, steam, or a green salad in summer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees
2. Add onion, garlic and thyme in the centre of a large roasting pan.
3. Place chicken on top, season with salt, pepper and brush with olive oil.
4. Place vegetables around the base of the chicken, you may need a second roasting dish for vegetables if you're feeding a larger family, or make leftovers as we do.
5. Nestle in lemon halves (they make the chicken tender and the gravy tangy).
6. Pour chicken stock over chicken and veggies. If doing two trays of veggies you will need more stock for the second tray.
7. Place chicken in oven for 1 1/4 hours and carry on with your day. Check stock levels and turn veggies if needed, you  want to end up with about a cup of stock in the bottom of the pan.
8. When chicken is cooked, take out to rest and cover.
9. Pour stock, onion, garlic and thyme into a small saucepan. Remove onion and garlic skin, thyme stalks and squeeze lemon juice into the gravy. Reduce if needed.
10. Turn oven up to 230 and brown veggies while chicken is resting. (They will caramelize with the sweetness of the chicken stock).
11. Carve chicken, serve with roasted veggies, greens of choice and rustic gravy.

It's the first time I've written this recipe down, so any feedback welcome. Enjoy xx