Classic roast chicken with mushroom stuffing

You just can't beat a good old Sunday roast and classic roast chicken with mushroom stuffing has got to be one of the finest

Prep: 15mins plus cooling
Cook: 1hr 50mins
Serves: 4-6

Nutritional information:

What you need:

For the chicken:

• 450g/1lb mixture of open and closed cup mushrooms
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 15ml/1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 5ml/1tsp dried
• 2.5ml/1/2tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1.8kg/4lb) whole chicken
• a little olive oil

For the roasted vegetables:

• 2 courgettes, thickly sliced
• 8-12 white open cup mushrooms
• 2 small red onions, cut into wedges

What you do:

1. Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Heat the butter in a frying pan, add the chopped mushrooms, garlic, thyme, nutmeg and seasoning and sauté over a high heat for 5mins until the mushrooms juices have run and evaporated. Transfer to a plate and leave to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan170C/Gas Mark 5. Place the chicken breast side down on the work surface. At the cavity end, lift the flap of skin open and push the mushroom stuffing under the skin of the chicken so it covers most of the breast. Secure the flap of skin with some cocktail sticks then turn over and place the chicken breast side up in a roasting tin.
3. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 1hr 40mins (or 20mins per 500g plus 20mins) or until the juices run clear when tested.
4. About 30mins before the end of cooking, scatter the courgettes, mushrooms and onion wedges around the chicken and roast until they are golden and tender.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer it to a serving dish and leave it to rest for 10mins before carving.

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