Roast Chicken with Spiralized Beetroot and Sweet Potato

This is a healthier one-tray-wonder and it makes for an easy dinner party dish.  Usually beetroot takes ages to roast but this way means that it’s quicker and it soaks up all of the wonderful cooking juices from the chicken.  You could swap for other vegetables such as parsnips or carrots which would also be delicious.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 free-range chicken thighs

4 free-range chicken legs

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fennel seeds

2 tsp cumin powder

1 lemon, thinly slice one half

2 banana shallots, thinly sliced

12 garlic cloves, skins left on

400g sweet potato (about 4), spiralized

3 medium beetroot, spiralized

60ml white wine

100ml chicken stock

1 spring onion

Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 190-180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

In a large mixing bowl add the chicken along with the cumin powder, fennel seeds, sliced shallots, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon slices and season generously with salt and pepper.  Use hands to mix everything together.  Add the spiralized vegetables to the baking tray and mix together with the remaining olive oil, squeeze over second lemon half and a little more salt and pepper.  Lay the chicken pieces skin side up on top of the vegetables in the tray and place into the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and mix everything around turning the chicken pieces skin side down.  Pour over the white wine, chicken stock and scatter over the garlic cloves.  Place back into the oven for another 10 minutes and then turn the chicken pieces back to skin side up and place tray on the top shelf of the oven turning up the heat to crisp up the skins for another 10 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked.  Serve the roast with a good sprinkle of chopped spring onions and a crunchy green salad.  You could even serve with a dollop of Greek Yoghurt.