I have always avoided baking a chicken in fear it will come out dry like the ones we often buy.
I came across this Greek family recipe from family friends and I have to say it was the first time I had roasted a whole chicken and the chicken was succulent !
I will keep making it now.
Buy a organic or free range chicken , grass fed if you can find it. Apparently the meat store in Bondi Junction may have it.
Cut half a lemon in slices and stuff into the chicken with a few whole cloves of garlic
Baste the chicken overnight with
Olive oil
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
The next day add ½ cup stock and ½ cup water (ensure there is about 1 cm of water in the pan).
Cook 1 hr at 200 degrees with breast side up. Baste the chicken again.
Keep an eye on the water and stock to check it does not dry out if dry add more stock and water.
After one hour and the chicken is brown turn the chicken to the other side to cook for an additional hour.
If the chicken is not brown turn the oven up to 220 degrees. This is when you add the potatoes and cook for an hour.
It was so great to catch up with friend whom I had not seen for nearly one year due to COVID.
I made the lemon oregano chicken for them and we had grass fed pork pate, terrine and pastrami from Tasmania from Fork It Farm… that’s another story. LOL!
