CRISPY GREEK LEMON CHICKEN WITH ROASTED BEETROOT

• 1 free-range chicken, backbone removed & butterflied open (Or you can use a chicken maryland cut per person)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped
• 80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp chopped oregano leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• Freshly ground pepper & salt, to taste
• 2 lemons
• 3 brown onions, peeled & sliced into thick rings
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 440g can Baby Beets, drained,with the juice reserved
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 8 potatoes, boiled until tender then crushed flat using a potato masher to pop the surface
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Lay chicken on a flat surface and carefully lift the skin away from the flesh to make small pockets between the breast, legs and thighs. Combine garlic with butter, oregano and parsley and season to taste. Using fingers, stuff the butter mix under the skin in pockets throughout the chicken. Thinly slice one of the lemons and slide slices under the skin with the butter.

Place onion rings on the base of a baking dish and arrange chicken on top. Massage chicken with pepper and salt and drizzle with half the olive oil. Squeeze juice from the remaining lemon over the chicken. Scatter the baby beets, garlic cloves and smashed potatoes around the chicken and pour the remaining oil over the beets and potatoes. Add 100ml water to the base of the baking dish.

Bake in a hot preheated oven of 220ºC for 1 hour. The chicken will be brown and crisp and the baby beets and potatoes just sensational. Serve with a salad and crusty bread to mop up the juices.