Fragrant Roast Chicken with Sausage Stuffing

Name: Fragrant Roast Chicken with Sausage Stuffing
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1.5 kg (3 lb) whole chicken; 1 lemon; 1 fresh thyme sprig; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 4 small carrots, peeled; 2 red onions, peeled and halved; 2 celery sticks, chopped in half; 1 leek, chopped in half; 1 garlic bulb, broken into cloves (but not peeled); 1 garlic bulb, broken into cloves (but not peeled); 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp plain flour; 120 ml (4 fl oz) white wine; 300 ml (½ pint) chicken stock; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; crispy roast potatoes, to serve; buttered peas, to serve; 25 g (1 oz) butter, extra for greasing; 25 g (1 oz) butter, extra for greasing; 1 onion, finely chopped; 100 g (4 oz) sausage meat; 100 g (4 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Nation's Favourite Food

By Neven Maguire

Published 2013

About

There is something very comforting about a whole roast chicken brought to the table – it reminds me of family Sunday lunches from childhood. The flavours here are fantastic and really penetrate the flesh of the chicken. Try to buy a free-range or organic chicken, as the flavour is always so much better.

Ingredients

1.5 kg (3 lb) whole chicken
1 lemon
1

Europe
Ireland
Lunch

Method

Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F/gas mark 8).

Finely grate the rind from the lemon and place the rind in a bowl, reserving the lemon. Strip the thyme leaves from the stalks (reserve the stalks) and add