Roast Chicken (with sage and onion stuffing)

Make the sage and onion stuffing first so that it is ready to put into the oven about 20 minutes before the chicken is due to come out of the oven.

Open up a large piece of aluminium foil. Take the chicken and place a whole onion inside the cavity. Now rub it all over with olive oil and place it on the foil. Rub over the tomato purée and sprinkle over the parsley, patting it onto the chicken with your hands. Give a good dusting with the paprika and grind over the black pepper.

Start with the edge of foil nearest to you and fold it over the chicken. Now in an anti-clockwise direction fold over the next piece until all four sides have been closed. This ensures it is securely wrapped and not liable to leak out its juices. Put it into a baking tin.

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook according to the time you have calculated from the Roasting Times for Meat Chart (see link above).

During the last 30 minutes, open up the foil, leaving the sides high around the chicken so as to contain the liquid. Now, every 10 minutes or so, baste the chicken with its own juices.

To test whether it is cooked, insert a skewer into one of the leg joints and the juices should run clear.

Take out of the oven. Draw the aluminium foil back over to cover the chicken and leave to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Serve with the sage and onion stuffing together with a variety of potatoes and vegetables – see Roast Dinner link above.