Roast Chicken with Lemon
Serves 4-5
1.5kg whole chicken
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 6 wedges
500ml dry cider
3 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp caster sugar
900ml hot chicken stock
3 carrots, cut into chunky pieces
3 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
fresh tarragon
3 Tbsp Crème Fraîche
salt and pepper
1. Wash the chicken inside and out with cold water then pat dry with paper towel. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken breast side down and fry for 10 mins, turning the chicken several times until brown and sealed all over.
2. Carefully put the chicken breast side down into the slow cooker pot. Fry the onion in wedges in the remaining oil in the pan until lightly browned. Add the cider, mustard, sugar and seasoning, bring to the boil. Pour over the chicken; add the hot stock, vegetables, lemon wedges and tarragon making sure the chicken and vegetables are well below the level of stock.
3. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
4. Lift the chicken out of the stock, drain well and transfer to a large serving plate. Remove vegetables using a slotted spoon and arrange them around chicken. Measure 600ml of the hot cooking stock from the slow cooker pot into a jug. Reserve a few sprigs of tarragon to garnish, chop the remainder and whisk into the stock with the Crème Fraîche to make gravy. Season to taste and serve with chicken and vegetables.