Roast Chicken & Cider Stew

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/ Fan 200ºC/ Gas 7.Roughly chop the fennel, carrots and onions into 6–8cm chunks or wedges, then scatter in the base of a large baking dish. Rip a few cloves off one of the garlic bulbs and reserve; add the remaining garlic to the baking dish (no need to separate the cloves). Drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle over a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then toss to coat.

Season the chicken (inside and out). Stuff all of the fresh herbs into the cavity, along with a couple of lemon wedges. Add the remaining wedges to the baking dish with the veg.

Thinly slice the reserved garlic cloves. Next, using your fingers, gently push in between the flesh and the skin (starting at the base of the breasts, leg end) to make space for some butter. Add chunks of butter and garlic slices in there and spread across the breast and over to the thigh flesh, if you can, trying not to rip the skin in the process. Place the chicken in the baking dish on top of the prepared veg and drizzle a little olive oil over the bird so it has some fat on the outside to help too.

Get the bird onto one side, nestled amongst the veg. Roast on the top shelf in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven, baste, turn the bird to the other side and back on the top shelf for another 20 minutes. Finally, remove from the oven, turn the bird onto its back, baste, then add the cider, stock and beans. Jiggle the veg, beans and liquid around a little to mix them up. Return the dish to the oven for another 20–30 minutes and finish roasting.

Once the time is up, check that the chicken is fully cooked (the juices should run clear from the cavity, or cut between the breast and leg and check the meat is not still pink) and if so, remove from the oven. If not, pop back in the oven until fully cooked.

Transfer the chicken to a resting board (cover loosely with foil if you want but I like crispy skin so I don’t!) and return the cidery veg stew to the oven to cook for another 20 minutes, while the meat rests.

Carve the chicken and place the joints back on top of the stew and take the hot dish to the table. Spoon the hot stew over the chicken to warm it up a little and make sure everyone gets a ladle of the sauce along with the meat and veg. If you wish, a small slosh of cream poured in is divine, just saying...

Cook’s Tip: There are so many possibilities for leftovers! Put the chicken in sandwiches, or chop it up to add to a frittata. Blitz any leftovers into a soup or fold them into a wintery chicken and roasted veg salad.