Farro Whole Cider Baked Chicken

A different take on your Sunday roast. This dish combines the best of the season’s Granny Smith apples with Bostock’s organic chicken and cider. All it needs is a side of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Ingredients

1.3-1.4kg whole free-range organic Bostock’s chicken

2 white onions, peeled and quartered

4-5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and halved

2 Granny Smith apples, quartered and cored

4-6 cloves garlic, peeled2 fresh bay leaves

small bunch fresh thyme, roughly chopped (reserve half for serving)

1 lemon, quartered

750ml bottle Val de Ranch French cider

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Place the chicken in a large deep roasting tray or casserole dish with a heavy base.

Arrange the onions, potatoes, apples, garlic, herbs and lemon around the chicken and pour over the cider. Place in the preheated oven to cook for 35 minutes covered.

Remove and baste well before returning to the oven for a further 25-30 minutes uncovered to allow the chicken to brown and the liquids to reduce.

Remove the tray from the oven and take the chicken out to rest. Place the vegetables and apples back in the oven uncovered for a further 10-15 minutes while the chicken rests.

To serve, cut chicken into serving pieces and place on a large serving platter surrounded by vegetables and apples, with remaining thyme sprinkled over.