[Xmas] Lemon & Rosemary Roast Chicken & Gravy

Pat chicken skin with a paper towel. Insert lemon halves into chicken cavity. Place chicken on a lined oven tray, breast-side up. Drizzle with rosemary butter. Season generously with salt and pepper, rubbing the seasonings into the skin. Roast for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the butter (for the stuffing) in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook pre-chopped onion and cranberries until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. In a medium bowl, combine onion-cranberry mixture, herb crumbing mix, lemon zest, the egg and the milk. Season. Roll heaped spoonfuls of stuffing mixture into small balls (approx. 24). Transfer to a plate.

With 20 minutes cook time remaining on chicken, remove from the oven. Place stuffing balls around chicken. Return dish to the oven and continue cooking for a further 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, cover with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. TIP: To check if the chicken is done, poke a skewer or small knife between the leg and the body. The juices that come out should be clear, without any traces of pink. TIP: The chicken needs resting time for the meat to get nice and juicy.

With 5 minutes rest-time remaining on the chicken, boil the kettle. In a medium bowl, combine gravy granules, chicken resting juices and 2 cups of boiling water. Whisk until smooth, 1 minute.