One pan, Lemon Roast Chicken, Veggies and Hassleback potatoes

If Sundays were captured in a smell, it would surely be the scent of something roasting.  We often spend Sundays with my family, but today we are holed up at home keeping warm and dry and enjoying the blissful aromas of roasting chicken.  This is a simplified roast dinner because, like most people, I am of the opinion that my Mum makes the best roast dinner ever - so what is the point in even trying to match it?!

I love the one pan aspect too, because if Sunday was captured in an activity, washing up would be a top contender.  The vegetables and potatoes cook right along with the meat so you don't really have to worry about timings.  Whilst we are on the subject of potatoes, I have to admit that whilst I am not a picky eater at all I hate potatoes, its not just a mild dislike.....I loathe them.  With this loathing in mind, I constantly try to come up with new ways to cook them, just incase I stumble across one that I actually enjoy.  So many of the meals I make still use potatoes, and that is because Jon and Millie like them, but also I want to like them, and these come close.  I used to make them with olive oil, if you can have oil, go ahead and use it because it works great, but don't feel sad dieters spray oil works well too!

I used one medium chicken for 2.5 people so we can have leftovers tomorrow, I have left all the quantities open so you can tailor it for your family - just bear in mind how much vegetables shrink when roasted!

Lemon Roast Chicken

Whole Chicken
Lemon
Garlic
Small potatoes
Veggies of your choice I used:
Carrots
Red onions
Mushrooms
Courgettes

Pre heat oven to 180-200 degrees
Place your chicken in the centre of a large pan, cut the lemon in half and put into the cavity along with a whole head of garlic cut in half and beaten up a little
Chop your vegetables, thinking about their cooking time i.e. carrots take forever so keep them fairly small, keep mushrooms whole, red onions and courgettes chunky

For your potatoes, you need to make several cuts across the top of the potato,
Finely slice some garlic and poke pieces of it into the cuts
Surround the chicken with the veggies, potatoes and some crushed garlic and spray them all with oil or drizzle with olive oil

If have a large chicken, you may want to hold back the softer vegetables and add them about and hour from the end
Season everything well with salt and pepper and stick in the oven using the guidelines on the chicken packet
A few times in the cooking process baste everything with the juices
Allow the chicken to stand before carving, in that time you can return the pan to the oven to keep warm

Enjoy!