Herby Slow Roast Chicken for a Sunday afternoon

You can find the original recipe here on BBC Good Food 

I used herbs from my garden and instead of rubbing the chicken in olive oil, I opted for Cotswold Gold extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil.  A Midlands based company, Cotswold Gold is family run and all of their oils are pressed and prepared on the family farm in…. you guessed it…. the Cotswolds. There are a range of oils available including the very luxurious truffle oil and a delicious drizzle range. They’ve won numerous awards over the last few years include Taste Gold. You can purchase oils online and in farm shops and delis around the UK.

I went for a Midlands Co-op Higher Welfare chicken. All of their Higher Welfare meat is 100% British and they work with a small number of farmers to ensure they maintain high standards. As you know because I’ve mentioned it before, I’m a big fan of my local Co-op and vastly prefer it to shopping in the big supermarkets. They also have a section stocking local suppliers which makes me happy.

Anyway, back to the cooking (find the recipe on the BBC Good Food link above)
The main difference from cooking a roast chicken in the usual way is that you marinade the chicken in garlic, herbs, lemon zest and oil over night. The second difference is that once you begin the actual cooking, you almost steam the bird in a wine bath by wrapping it in a tent of tin foil. In all, the chicken cooks for nearly 4 hours. Don’t be alarmed – the result is succulent and not at all dried out!

Cooking the veg in the bottom of the oven dish is a great way to cut down on washing up and keeping everything moist and tasty as the chicken juices run directly into the veg. Its a long winded recipe but its great for a lazy Sunday lunch with friends and family. Give it a go and let me know what you think!