I’ve been loving this dish all summer and I think its only going to get more outings this autum and winter. It’s a one pot dish, you simply throw everything in a large casserole and leave it for an hour and a half. The results are delicious in every way. The chicken stays nice and juicy and the flavours from the smoky bacon mingle with the chicken, potatoes and the freshness of the peas. You also get a lovely gravy in there, which I frequently use as stock for a risotto with the leftover chicken.
I am a huge fan of roasting a chicken on a Sunday and then reinventing it for the next few days. Risotto, stir frys, pies, wraps, soup from the carcass. The possibilities are endless!
1 whole chicken (I usually go for ~1.5kg)
~400g new potatoes
125g smoky bacon lardons
1 cup of frozen peas
– Preheat your oven to gas mark 6/200C.
– Take a large lidded casserole dish, big enough to hold your chicken.
– Untruss your chicken and pop it in the casserole. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
– Nestle the potatoes around the chicken and then scatter the lardons on top of the chicken.
– Pop on the lid and then pop it in the oven.
– Roast for about an hour and a half but refer to the cooking instructions on the chicken. Otherwise remember it’s 20 minutes per pound plus andother 20 minutes.
– 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time add the peas.
– Once the time is up, check that the juices are running clear, if not pop it back in for another 10-15 minutes.
– Remove the chicken to a board and let it rest while you sort out the other bits.
– Pull out the potatoes and put them in a serving dish.
– Use a slotted spoon to remove the peas and bacon bits from the gravy and put them in a serving dish.
– Either thicken the gravy or pour it off and let it set then use it as stock later in the week.
– Once everything’s ready to serve carve your chicken and plate up!
Anna in the kitchen 
Bacon really does go with everything!