Lemon & Thyme Roast Chicken

What you will need

1 Large Free Range Chicken 1.5-2kg

For the Stuffing:

1 Large Onion (finely chopped)

2 Cloves of crushed Garlic

100g Pancetta (finely chopped)

250g Sausage meat

100g Breadcrumbs

2 tbsp Thyme (finely chopped)

2 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped)

Zest and juice of 2 Lemons

2 Eggs

2x 25g Butter

How to do it

Pre Heat oven to 190?C Gas 5.
Wash the cavity of the chicken and pat dry with kitchen roll.
Now saut? the onions, garlic & pancetta in half of the butter until the pancetta begins to crisp, then take off the heat and cool.
In a large mixing bowl add the sausage meat, herbs, lemon zest & eggs and mix well. Now add the onions to the bowl with a generous amount of salt & pepper and again mix well. Add the breadcrumbs and the stuffing is ready.
Feed the stuffing into the chicken making sure it is tightly packed, and put it onto a roasting tray.
Melt the remaining butter and mix in the lemon juice. Brush it all over the skin of the chicken and scatter a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top.
Now roast the chicken for 1.5 hours or until the juices run clear when you cut into the skin between the leg & the breast.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.