cheats sunday roast

So this is called a cheats Sunday roast as I have had the chicken cut into half by the butcher to reduce the time it takes to cook in the oven. I have also used store brought gravy granules and frozen Yorkshire puds. I know I know, I should have made my own. However, I think if its not a special occasion and your dish has many component,s its ok to cheat a little.

Serves approx 2-3
Takes 70 min to cook ( cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken)

Ingredients 

1 Medium chicken ( halved by the butcher)
2 Cloves of garlic
1 Whole lemon
6-7 Sprigs of thyme
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
Coarse black pepper
Sea salt
Olive oil
5 Medium white potatoes (enough to make approx 15 peices)
5 Carrots (cut into batons)
210g in total of Green beans & tender stem broccoli
1 tbs Rice flour
Frozen Yorkshire puddings (as many as you like)
Bisto gravy granules 


Method

Pre heat the oven at 180oc and then cut the lemons and garlic in half. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and then add the lemon itself to the chicken too. Now add the garlic, thyme, chilli powder, cumin powder, salt, pepper, and some olive oil and rub all over the chicken.

Place the chicken onto an oven tray and in the oven at 180oc on the middle shelf. Whilst the chicken is cooking, put the kettle on (not to make yourself a brew). Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into large pieces, add to a pan and pour over the boiled water. Place on a hob on high heat for 5 min until parboiled. Drain and place into a roasting tin, add some salt, pepper, 2 tbs olive oil and rice flour. Stir this all together and put into the oven. At this point the chicken has been in the oven for 15 min.

Peel and cut the carrots into baton and boil/ steam until half cooked then add the broccoli and green beans. Once cooked cover and add some salt and pepper.

Once the chicken has 15 min left to cook, increase the heat to 220oc until the chicken and the potatoes are cooked. Plate the chicken and use the same oven tray to cook the Yorkshire puddings as per packet instructions and use this time to make the gravy as per packet instructions.


Do not throw the lemons away, squeeze them over the cooked chicken as they would have released more juices after roasting. Eat the roasted garlic too as they taste amazing with the chicken.