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Roast chicken & sticky carrots

A roast makes a stunning centrepiece for a supper party, and requires very little effort

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C /gas 6. Trim the leaves off the carrots. Scrub the carrots if muddy, but leave them whole. Tip them into a roasting tray that will be a snug fit for the carrots with the chicken on top. Halve the lemon and finely chop two of the garlic cloves. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the carrots, then toss in the chopped garlic, cumin seeds, honey, half the butter, plenty of pepper and a little salt.
Pick the leaves from the parsley and set aside. Push the parsley stalks, the lemon halves, the remaining garlic and the sprig of bay into the cavity of the chicken and season with plenty of pepper and salt if you want to.
Sit the chicken directly on top of the carrots and smear the remaining butter over the breast. Roast the chicken for 30 mins until starting to brown, then remove from the oven. Lift the chicken onto a board and give the carrots a good stir to make sure they’re completely coated in all the juices. Return the chicken to the roasting tray, baste the breast with the juices and continue to roast for a further 40-50 mins until cooked all the way through.
Lift the chicken onto a board and leave to rest for 10 mins. Meanwhile, roughly chop the reserved parsley leaves. A few mins before serving, place the carrots over a low heat until sizzling, then stir the parsley through the carrots. To serve, sit the chicken either back on top or serve the chicken and the carrots separately