The Perfect Sunday Night Supper

Simply Delicious Roast Chicken with Lemon Stuffing

You may think that a roast chicken is a chore worthy of your mammy’s elaborate roast dinners but this need not be the case. There’s nothing like a bit of home cooking on a Sunday evening and the difficulty of a roast chicken is often over estimated. All you have to do is prepare it, pop it in the oven and sit down with your Sunday paper until your timer begins to chirp. This recipe feeds five hungry people

Ingredients

One large chicken

Two large red onions

Two lemons

50 grams of butter

Three cloves of garlic

100g of bread crumbs

One tablespoon of thyme

One egg

Salt and pepper

One tablespoon of corn flour

 

Method 

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius and dig out a clean roasting tin

Coarsely chop one onion and the garlic before placing them into the clean cavity of your chicken.

Wash your hands before zesting your lemons. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over your chicken before putting it into the cavity.

Place 100mls of water into your roasting tin before lightly covering your chicken with tin foil.

Roast in your oven for 60 minutes, basting every 30 minutes. If the pan is becoming too dry, just add a bit more water.

After one hour, remove the tin foil from the chicken and roast for a further 30 minutes.

To make your stuffing, melt 25 grams of butter in a frying pan and lightly fry a large red onion diced finely.

In a separate bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, thyme, salt, pepper and one heaped tablespoon of lemon zest.

Add the butter and the onions to the bowl, before mixing in one large egg until it all begins to come together.

Place in an ovenproof dish and bake for 15 minutes before serving.

After 90 minutes, remove your chicken from the oven, and pierce the thigh with a skewer. If the juices are clear, your bird is cooked.

Place your chicken on a warmed plate and cover with tinfoil.

Meanwhile, pour the juices from the roasting tin into a saucepan and bring to the boil. If there isn’t much liquid, add 100mls of boiling water to the pan.

Strain the liquid and skim the fat from the top using a spoon.

In a clean saucepan, add one tablespoon of corn flour and one tablespoon of water and mix well. Add the strained gravy and stir on a medium heat until thick.

Serve your beautiful chicken with some garlic mash or some tasty roasties for the perfect Sunday dinner.