Spanish Roast Chicken

This recipe was published in The Times and is also in the Ginger Pig cookbook. I used a smaller chicken and 2/3rds of the vegetables suggested.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3kg good-quality chicken
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

      For the bed of vegetables

• 3 onions, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 large tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 2 red chillies, cut into quarters
• 2 garlic heads, cut in half horizontally
• 3 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 400ml white wine
• 300g black olives, stoned (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/GM4.
2. Put all the ingredients for the bed of vegetables into a large lidded casserole dish. Mix well. 
3. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil. Spring with the paprika and seasoning and rub these into the chicken, too. 
4. Place the chicken in the dish on top of the vegetables and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven for 90 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a further 20 mins to crisp up the skin. Serve with rice or pasta. 

Serves 6.