Mikki’s Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

I have many lovely cousins (so don’t shout at me for selecting her ok?) Mikki used to ask me to make this quite a lot. It’s tangy, sweet, juicy, packed with flavour and makes a great chicken salad or sandwiches from leftovers.  

  
(Oops, how am I going to fit the sweet potatoes in there?)

Ingredients:

1 jointed chicken, free range tastes so much better.

2 small unwaxed lemons. 1 zest and juice, other 1 cut into wedges.

1 red onion finely diced, few cloves of garlic left whole and unpeeled.

Finely chopped herbs, I’m using parsley, mint and oregano.

Generous knob of butter, glug of olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

A little honey and a generous splash of white wine.

Potatoes (I’m using sweet) peeled, chunked and parboiled for 5 mins.

Method. Preheat oven to 200.

Make a paste with the butter, chopped herbs, lemon zest and a little of the juice.

loosen the skin and using your fingers spread the paste moving it between the flesh and skin of the chicken.  

Pop the onion and garlic in a tray and place chicken on top, pack the lemon wedges around and season with salt and pepper. The glug of olive oil goes over the chicken.  Bake for 20 mins then reduce temperature to 180, add the drained potatoes and continue cooking for another 35 mins. (Check pan isn’t dry, if so add a little water). Check that potatoes are soft and chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and potatoes to rest for a few mins. Add the wine and honey to the pan and boil, scraping the pan as you go to make a lovely sauce.

Side salad or my favourite of sautéed spinach, really nice and effortless. Still cooking, just turned the chicken over.