Greek Style Roast Chicken

This is one of my favourite recipes to cook. It is simple, easy prep, very delicious and usually has plenty of leftovers for at least another 1-2 meals. I bought a fantastic organic chicken from GG Sparkes Organic Butchers' van at North Cross Market. This recipe cooks all the ingredients in one pan, needs minimum supervision and creates a fantastic gravy in the roasting tray, perfect for mopping up with bread.

Greek Style Roast Chicken Recipe (Serves at least 4 people, depending on the size of the chicken)

1 good quality chicken (minimum 2 kilos)

1 kg potatoes (in Greece potatoes are usually waxy, but here I usually use Maris Piper)

250 grams of prunes (ready pitted)

1 lemon

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of oregano

salt 

pepper

Chop up the potatoes in decent chunks. If the chicken is large, allow for larger potato chunks, so that they don't overcook, while the chicken is cooking. Layer potatoes in the roasting tin, then scatter the prunes between the potatoes. Season the potatoes and the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken breast-side down on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the chicken and potatoes with the olive oil and lemon juice and season the chicken skin. Sprinkle the oregano over chicken and potatoes. Add 200-300 mL of water to the pan. Place in a preheated oven at 180 (fan oven) for as long as the chicken needs, according to its size (check every now and then that there is enough liquid in the pan so it doesn't burn or stick). I use Delia's timings for meat. 30 minutes before the chicken is ready, toss the potatoes in the liquid and turn the chicken over to be breast-side up. Season the chicken on the breast side and continue to cook until nice and crisp.

Serve with a nice lettuce salad and some crusty bread to mop up the gravy.

Make sure you save all the leftover meat and potatoes. They do a great next day mini roast and if there is lots of meat left I often do a chicken pie or chicken risotto as well. I also use the carcass to make stock.