If, like me, you're an all year round roast dinner kind of person then try this delicious twist on the norm. Its lighter then a normal roast, and served with some buttered green beans its perfect for even the hottest days of summer.
Prep time 15 mins
Cooking time 1hr40 mins
Whole chicken, about 1.5kg
2 lemons, 1 pricked all over, and 1 cut in half
3tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
200g dried orzo
300ml hot chicken stock
100g frozen peas
Heat the oven to 180c. Calculate how long your chicken takes to cook, we need to add the orzo in with 30 mins to go.
In a roasting tin add the chicken, cutting and removing any string it might be tied up with.
With the lemon that you have pricked all over pop it inside the chicken via its cavity.
Now put the other halved lemon, thyme and the garlic cloves in the roasting tray with the chicken. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper, massage the chicken and pop in the oven according to the cooking time.
I put mine in for approx 1hour 10 mins before I add the orzo. When you have 30 mins cook time left, carefully add the orzo to the roasting tray all around the chicken and pour in the hot stock, it is important that the stock is hot, pop back in the oven.
After 15 mins check that there is enough liquid and it hasn't dried up, if so just add bit more hot water, then sprinkle in your frozen peas.
Cook for another 15 mins until everything is cooked perfectly.
This also work well with chicken pieces for a quicker dinner, just adjust the cooking time.
You can add all sorts of veggies to really use anything up, tomatoes are a lovely addition to pop in for the last 15 mins.
