Thyme roast chicken, sweet potato, sautéed greens and chicken jus

Local Tasmanian chef, Lilly Trewartha, has devised some great recipes designed for people recovering from cancer. There is a common misconception that the family roast is a big ordeal to prepare in the kitchen when really it's pretty straightforward. Greens can be substituted with whatever is in season and easily accessible (spinach, kale, snow peas, beans etc.) The chicken is stuffed full of thyme and lemon, allowing theses flavours to be absorbed by the chicken and help to make extra delicious juices for the sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized chicken (organic)
• 3 lemons, roughly chopped
• 1/2 bunch thyme
• 4 brown onions, peeled, halved
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
• grapeseed oil
• 1 bunch silverbeet, stalk removed and chopped
• 1 broccoli head, chopped
• 1 tsp grapeseed oil
• 1 tbs butter
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• pepper and salt

Method

Preheat oven to 220 C.

In a large roasting pan scatter onions and sweet potato, toss with small amount of oil and season.

Stuff chicken with lemon and thyme and then rub with oil and salt, place in roasting pan and roast at 220 C for 30 minutes, turn oven down to 180 C and roast for a further hour or until juices run clear.

When the chicken is cooked, pull out of the oven and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.

While the chicken is resting, heat pan with a little oil, sauté the greens until just cooked.

Strain juices in the bottom of the roasting pan into a saucepan, bring to the boil and whisk in butter until melted and combine with the emulsified juices. Add vinegar and adjust seasoning then serve.

Nutritional Information

Dietitian's notes

Roast Chicken is a wonderful addition to any meal as, like any meat, it is a high protein food with just 90g providing the optimal 25g protein we require from each of our three main meals daily to help maintain body muscle.

The protein and energy content of this recipe is high due to Lilly’s generous meat portions. Even when this chicken is split into six serves it still contains double the optimal protein content per meal so it’s a great idea to extend it into other meals such as soup, salads, fried rice, tasty sandwiches, wraps or sushi.

Dishes high in protein are also likely to be rich in essential minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium, plus using the lemon and herb meat juices as a gravy captures all the B vitamins lost in cooking. Yum!

Please be Food Safe by rapidly cooling, then refrigerating any leftover chicken. Store in fridge if using the next day or freeze for longer shelf life.

Recipe supplied courtesy of Cancer Council Tasmania