METHOD

THE ANCHOVY BUTTER

1. Place all the ingredients for the flavoured butter into a food processor and blitz until smooth.    

THE CHICKEN

1. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 30 minutes before you wish to start roasting it.
2. Preheat the oven to 220ºC (FAN). 
3. To prepare the chicken, remove any trussing from the chicken and then using either a spoon or just your fingers, carefully loosen the skin over both of the breasts until you have created a gap between the skin and the crown of the chicken. Spoon half of the flavoured butter into the gap under the skin and then massage it from the outside until you have created an even layer of butter running across the underside of the chicken skin. 
4. Slice the lemon in half and place into the cavity of the chicken along with the thyme and place on a baking tray. Smother the remaining flavoured butter all over the chicken. At this point, you may also re-bind the legs with twine. 
5. Loosely cover the chicken with foil and then place into the oven. Immediately reduce the heat of the oven to 150ºC. Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours.
6. Place the potato wedges into a large, deep-sided roasting tray or dutch oven. Drizzle with olive oil and add the thyme leaves. Carefully lay the chicken over the pan, resting on the metal skewers, so that the chicken is suspended over the potatoes without touching them. 
7. After 1 ½ hours remove the chicken from the oven and remove the foil. Ladle over any juices that have gathered in the bottom of the pan and then return the chicken to the oven for a further ½ hour or until the skin on the chicken has become golden and crisp and the internal temperature has reached 75 °C in the thickest part of the breast. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.      

TIP – Do not forgo the resting period! Resting your chicken allows the meat to relax and will ensure the chicken retains much of its moisture once you start carving. 

THE BACON GRAVY

1. Place a large pan over a medium-high heat with a generous lug of olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until just starting to colour. Add in the garlic, diced bacon, and thyme and cook for a further 3-4 minutes stirring often to avoid anything burning.
2. Turn the heat up to high and pour in the wine. Cook until the liquid is reduced by two thirds, stirring occasionally to prevent anything catching on the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour in the chicken stock along with the juices from the chicken and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced by half.
4. Pass the gravy through a sieve and into another pan, keeping the gravy warm over a low heat. Skim any fat from the top of the gravy and season to taste.