I don’t usually roast up a chook.  I tend to buy the pre made bbq ones and use it shredded in our lunches for the week.  Otherwise, I’m using it to make soup and stock.  But this week, when whole chickens were on special, I bought one and wondered what to do with it.  The only time I’ve made a chicken roast I stuffed chorizo and something else that I can’t for the life of me remember, underneath the skin…  And that’s how long it’s been since I’ve made one.  So I decided it was high time I try again, and make it a regular in our household.  So many people have a roast a week and they are SO EASY, I’m set on adding it to our meal list weekly as well.

Here’s what I came up with…  I’ve been watching a lot of cooking shows so it’s an amalgamation of what I’ve seen…  What I love the most about this, is I had everything either in my garden or in my kitchen, so I’m confident you will too…

So, so simple I’m not even going to type up the ingredients vs. method.

Take some softened butter and sage and push it into the chicken, between the breast and the skin.  Pat the outter skin dry with a paper towel and then add some extra butter to rub onto the outside of the chicken.
Place a quartered lemon in the chicken cavity, then tie the legs together with kitchen string.

Peel and cut some potatoes into quarters, coat in oil and add to your baking tray.  You can add carrots and sweet potato, or any root vegetable really…  Parsnips, maybe even some zucchini?  Add a little sprinkle of salt and pepper, or some chicken salt, or even chicken stock in powder form if you are feeling indulgent.

Cook at 180 degrees celsius for approximately an hour.  You can lift the chicken and if the liquid that pours out is clear it is ready.  If it’s still a bit pink, check every 5 minutes.  I served it with a side of greens: broccoli, beans and snow peas.