Conventional Oven

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 200°C conventional / 180°C fan. Remove any giblets and pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Do not wash it.
2. Season the bird. Mix the softened butter with the lemon zest, thyme leaves and a little salt and pepper. Carefully loosen the breast skin with your fingers and spread the butter underneath. Rub the outside with the oil and season. Put one lemon half, the garlic and thyme sprigs loosely inside the cavity; reserve the remaining lemon half.
3. Start roasting. Scatter the onion in a roasting tin and sit the chicken on top, breast upwards. Pour 150 ml of the stock around it. Roast for approximately 80–95 minutes, beginning temperature checks at 75 minutes. Add a splash of water if the tin starts to dry out.
4. Prepare the potatoes. While the chicken cooks, peel the potatoes and cut into roughly 5 cm pieces. Place in cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the edges soften. Drain, steam-dry for 5 minutes and shake gently to roughen the surfaces.
5. Roast the potatoes. After the chicken has cooked for about 35 minutes, heat the dripping or oil in a separate roasting tray for 5 minutes. Carefully turn the potatoes in the hot fat, season and roast for 55–65 minutes, turning twice.
6. Check and rest the chicken. Check the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh, avoiding bone. Both should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Return to the oven if necessary. Transfer the cooked bird to a warm platter and rest for 20–25 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
7. Finish the potatoes. Increase the oven to 220°C conventional / 200°C fan while the chicken rests. Continue roasting the potatoes until deeply golden and crisp.
8. Cook the vegetables. Simmer the carrots in lightly salted water for 10–12 minutes, until tender. Cook the cabbage in a separate pan of boiling water for 4–5 minutes. Drain both well, then divide the butter between them and season.
9. Make the gravy. Spoon excess fat from the chicken tin, leaving approximately 1 tbsp with the onion and juices. Set over a medium hob heat, provided the tin is hob-safe; otherwise transfer to a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the remaining 350 ml stock, scraping up the browned juices. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, add the resting juices and strain. Adjust the seasoning and add a small squeeze of the reserved lemon if needed.
10. Carve and serve. Serve the chicken with the roast potatoes, buttered vegetables and hot gravy.

Multi-Cooker Option — Ninja Foodi

For a Foodi multi-cooker with Pressure and Air Crisp functions. Check that the chicken fits comfortably beneath the lid and follow your model’s minimum-liquid requirement.

This version uses the Foodi for the chicken and potatoes, with the vegetables and gravy prepared on the hob.

1. Prepare the chicken with the lemon-and-thyme butter and seasonings as above.
2. Set up the Foodi. Put the sliced onion and 250 ml of the measured stock into the cooking pot, or the minimum liquid required by your model if greater. Place the chicken breast upwards in the Cook & Crisp basket or on a suitable low rack.
3. Pressure cook. Secure the pressure lid, set the valve as directed for your model and select High Pressure for 22 minutes. Allow additional time for the cooker to reach pressure.
4. Prepare the potatoes meanwhile. Cut them slightly smaller than for the oven method, approximately 3-4 cm. Parboil for 8–10 minutes, drain, steam-dry and roughen the edges.
5. Release and crisp. When pressure cooking finishes, release pressure using your model’s quick-release instructions. Open only when safe. Select Air Crisp at 200°C for 10–15 minutes, until the skin is golden.
6. Check the chicken. Test the breast and innermost thigh, avoiding bone: both must reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue cooking in 5-minute intervals if needed. Transfer to a warm platter and cover loosely.
7. Save the gravy juices. Carefully remove the basket or rack and pour the onion and cooking liquid into a heatproof jug. Skim off excess fat. Drain any remaining liquid from the pot.
8. Crisp the potatoes. Toss the potatoes with the dripping or oil and salt. Return the basket to the Foodi and select Air Crisp at 200°C for 25-35 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Avoid packing them tightly; capacity varies, and a smaller model may need two batches. For four servings, an oven tray is the more practical option if they cannot cook in one loose batch.
9. Finish the dinner. While the potatoes cook, prepare the carrots and cabbage as above. Make the gravy in a saucepan: heat 1 tbsp skimmed chicken fat, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved cooking liquid and enough remaining stock to make approximately 500 ml. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, add the resting juices, strain and season.
10. Serve. Carve the chicken when the potatoes are ready. The Foodi method gives the bird a 25-35-minute rest while the potatoes finish