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Classic French-style roast chicken

1.6kg whole chicken

60g softened butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 medium lemon (140g), quartered 4 sprigs fresh thyme

3 cups (750ml) chicken stock 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

2 Remove and discard any fat from cavity of chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out with water. Pat the cavity and skin dry with paper towel. Tuck wings under body.

3 Run your fingers carefully between the skin and the breast meat. Combine butter, garlic and chopped herbs in a small bowl. Spoon butter under skin; push butter through skin to cover breast and tops of drumsticks and thighs.

4 Fill cavity of chicken with lemon and thyme sprigs. Season chicken all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string.

5 Place chicken on an oiled rack in a medium roasting pan. Pour 2 cups (500ml) of the stock into pan (liquid should not touch the chicken). Roast for 15 minutes.

6 Reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan; bake chicken a further 1½ hours or until chicken is cooked through, basting occasionally with pan juices. Transfer to a plate; cover loosely with foil. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

7 Meanwhile, to make gravy, pour pan juices into medium jug. Skim and discard fat from surface of juices. Return 2 tablespoons fat to baking pan; discard remaining fat. Stir in flour; stir over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until mixture is browned. This will give the gravy good colour and flavour. Gradually stir in remaining pan juices and stock; stir until gravy boils and thickens. Season. Strain gravy into medium heatproof jug.

8 Serve chicken with gravy.