Summer Roast Chicken with Tomatoes, Olives & Lemon

Ingredients

  • 600g

    mixed heritage tomatoes

  • 2

    whole bulbs of garlic

  • 2

    onions

  • 50g

    green olives

  • 1

    lemon, cut into wedges

  • 5–6 tablespoons

    extra virgin olive oil

  • 1

    large organic or free-range chicken (1.7–2kg/

  • 3lb

    13oz–4lb 8oz)

  • a few

    oregano sprigs or basil leaves

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buy available ingredients

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Place the tomatoes in a large roasting tray, slicing any very large ones in half. Slice the garlic bulbs down the centre and nestle in with the tomatoes. Quarter the onions, leaving the skin on and add these to the tray. Scatter the olives around the other veg and then wedge in pieces of lemon, keeping one or two back. Give the veg a good drenching in goodquality olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the veg and stuff the remaining lemon wedges inside the cavity of the chicken. Season the skin generously with salt and pepper. Place the roasting tray in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, lift the chicken out and leave to rest on a carving board. Keep the beautiful roasted veg warm while the chicken rests. Once cooled, carve the chicken, giving everyone a little meat from the leg and breast. Spoon over heaps of the roasted veg, making sure you scoop up plenty of the gorgeous juices. Take the warm garlic bulbs and squeeze out a few cloves onto each plate. Finish with a few roughly torn leaves of fresh oregano or basil. Serve with buttered potatoes, or – even better – crusty bread for mopping up the mouthwatering juices.

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