[xmas] NZ Lemon & Rosemary Roast Chicken

• Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Insert lemon halves into chicken cavity. Place chicken on a lined oven tray, breast-side up. • Drizzle with rosemary butter. Season generously with salt and pepper, rubbing the seasonings into the skin. • Roast chicken for 1 hour.

• While the chicken is roasting, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. • Cook onion and garlic paste until softened and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. • Add butter (for the stuffing) and sage and cook until melted, 1 minute. • In a medium bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, currants, chicken-style stock powder, the egg, milk and lemon zest. Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl of breadcrumbs. Stir to combine and season.

• When the chicken has 10 minutes remaining, remove tray from the oven and scatter the stuffing mixture around the chicken. • Return tray to the oven, then continue roasting until stuffing is golden and chicken is cooked through. • Remove tray from the oven. Cover with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

TIP: To check if the chicken is done, poke a skewer or small knife between the leg and the body. The juices that come out should be clear, without any traces of pink. TIP: The chicken needs resting time for the meat to get nice and juicy.

• While the chicken is resting, boil the kettle. • In a medium heatproof bowl, combine gravy granules and 2 cups of boiling water. Whisk until smooth, 1 minute.