Ingredients
1 x 1.8 kg chicken
2 garlic bulbs, cloves separated and unpeeled
1 bunch of thyme
1 parsnip, thickly sliced lengthways
1 onion, unpeeled, thickly sliced
1 carrot, thickly sliced lengthway
3 tablespoons oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
450 ml chicken stock
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1. Preheat the BBQ to 200°C and set up for indirect cooking.
2. Scatter two-thirds of the garlic and half the thyme in the base of a large roasting pan. Arrange the parsnip, onion and carrot in the pan.
3. Rinse the chicken inside and out, pat dry with paper towel, rub with the oil and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.
4. Stuff half the lemon into the cavity along with the remaining garlic and thyme.
5. Place the chicken in the roasting tin, squeeze on the juice of the remaining lemon and pour in 125 ml of the stock.
6. Roast, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 170°C and cook for a further 30–45 minutes, or until golden and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer. (Tip - add some more liquid into the pan to reduce the internal temp of the BBQ)
7. Remove the chicken from the tin, cover with foil and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.
8. To make a beautiful gravy, discard the skins from the onion and garlic and place the roasting pan over medium heat on the grill.
9. Pour in the remaining stock and the white wine and bring to the boil. Using a flat wooden spoon, stir the base to dislodge any cooked-in bits. Once the pan juices have come to the boil, remove the tin from the heat.
10. Transfer the vegetables and pan juices to a blender and blend until smooth. (Take care when blending the hot liquid.) Add more stock or water, if the gravy is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. If you prefer a nice smooth gravy and you find yours has little bits in it, pass it through a fine sieve into a serving bowl or jug.
11. Carve the chicken and serve with sides of your choice
