Lemon and thyme is a bit of a classic but as I’m lucky enough to have jars of freshly dried oregano from Mamma Romeo – which as soon as I open remind me of a peaceful, sunny afternoon in Southern Italy… and pizza! This chicken simply demanded a sprinkling.

 

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 1 hour 20 mins

For the chicken
30g butter
1tbsp dried oregano
1 lemon halved
1.5kg chicken

For the vegetables
500g charlotte potatoes, larger ones halved
300g parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways
300g carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
1tbsp garlic infused olive oil
2tsp chilli flakes
1tsp dried oregano

1 Preheat the oven to 190ºC, 170ºC fan, gas 5. Mix together the butter and oregano. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper and add the lemon halves.

2 Place the chicken in a large roasting tin and smother the oregano butter all over the skin, then season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 1hour 20 mins until cooked – the juices should run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Allow to rest for 15 mins before carving.

3 Meanwhile add the vegetables to another large roasting tray, drizzle over the garlic infused olive oil, scatter over the chilli flakes and oregano, season well with salt and pepper and mix well. Roast for 1 hour until golden, soft and cooked through.

4 Serve simply Italian-style with a drizzle of the pan juices. Yep you got it – no gravy! Just serve with a nice glass of red wine.