This is a very simple twist guaranteed to impress. The chorizo, bean, and tomato stuffing helps the bird to cook evenly and perfumes the meat as it cooks. Serve it alongside the chicken with some steamed greens or a mixed green salad.

SERVES 4–6

FOR THE CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large free-range chicken, about 4½ pounds
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
• Olive oil
• 1 heaping tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
• 1½ cups white wine

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Make the chorizo stuffing: Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Add chorizo and cook until golden.
4. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic, cook for a couple of minutes, then add thyme leaves.
5. Stir in the cannellini beans, season well, and cook for a minute or two to warm through.
6. Add sun-dried tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of the oil they are stored in. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat and cool.
7. Fill the chicken cavity with the chorizo stuffing and place a whole lemon at the opening, tucking any excess skin over it.
8. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, sprinkle over the paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Rub into the chicken skin.
9. Pour the wine and about ¾ cup of water into a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper.
10. Add the chicken and the remaining thyme sprigs from the chorizo, then cover with foil and roast for 1 hour.
11. After 1 hour, remove the foil from the chicken, baste with the roasting juices, and turn the oven up to 400°F.
12. Roast for another 25–30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the juices from the thigh run clear.
13. Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before serving.

FOR THE CHORIZO STUFFING

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil
• 5–7 ounces chorizo, casings removed and cubed
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• Bunch of thyme sprigs
• Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed in oil
• One 7-ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan.
2. Add chorizo and cook for about 3 minutes until turning golden.
3. Add onion and cook for a minute or two until softened, then add garlic. Cook for an additional couple of minutes before adding the leaves from 3 thyme sprigs.
4. Stir in the cannellini beans, seasoning well. Cook for a minute or two to warm through.
5. Add sun-dried tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of the oil they are stored in. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat and cool.

FOR THE LEMON GRAVY

1. Remove the lemon from the chicken cavity and squeeze the juice into the pan juices.
2. Whisk together to create a light gravy. If you prefer a thicker gravy, reduce over a high heat.

NOTES

• Roasting chicken under a tent of foil with stock and water is a lovely way to keep it moist during the first part of cooking. Once it has steamed for an hour, you simply remove the foil for the final 30 minutes to brown the breasts. The resulting chicken will be much plumper and fuller than if you had roasted it all the way.