Today we are back with our 6 part series on healthy eating. I have invited Becky back to the blog to talk to you all about healthy dinners. Becky has already been on the blog talking about healthy breakfasts and healthy lunches. So far in this dinner series she has looked at Green Smoothies and Frittata.

This weeks healthy dinner is Roast Chicken and Roasted Vegetables, A simple dinner to put together but full of flavour and a healthier version to the Sunday lunch.

I’ll pass you over to Becky……….

Roast Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

This dish is minimum effort, but you do need a few hours cooking time, so it might not be an option for you when you don’t get home until 7 or 8.

Ingredients: (for 4)

Whole Medium sized chicken – preferably organic or free range. If these stretch your budget too much, look out for the RSPCA Freedom Food chickens, which are very good and available in all good supermarkets.
Potatoes
Carrots
Shallots/ or red onion/ or leeks
Parsnip
Garlic Cloves (about 6 small)
Choose volume of vegetables to suit your family. Filling up on vegetables will mean the chicken will stretch further.

Instructions:

STEP 1) Take your chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven. Preheat oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 9.

STEP 2) There’s no need to peel the vegetables – just give them a wash and roughly chop them. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled, unless you like to eat roast garlic cloves (which I do!) in which case peel them – garlic is amazing for you so do try to eat the roasted cloves.

STEP 3) In a large bowl, toss together the oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, shallots and garlic.

STEP 4) Pile all the veg and garlic into the middle of a large roasting tray

STEP 5) Carefully prick the lemon all over, using the tip of a sharp knife Put the lemon inside the chicken’s cavity, with the bunch of herbs.

STEP 6) lace the chicken on top of the vegetables, drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. If you don’t have a big enough tray, or you have vegetarians eating, cook the vegetables in a separate baking tray.

STEP 7) Pop the baking tray in the oven! (if you are cooking vegetables separately they will need about 50 minutes)

STEP 8) Turn the heat down immediately to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and cook the chicken for recommended time based on size of bird. If longer than 1 hour 20 minutes or you) are fussy on how you want your vegetables cooked, put the vegetables in later – give them at least 50 minutes, but cook how you like them – you might like them really crispy, or you might like them still soft, you choose, just give them enough time if you prefer the crispy option!!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/tools/roast-timer – A very easy link for calculating how long to cook meat.

I tend to cook this for my husband and children, but as I don’t eat meat, I cook the chicken separately and add a piece of salmon, white fish, or a bean burger into the oven for me (I just add olive oil, black pepper and a slice or two of lemon on top of the fish fillet to keep the fish moist).