Lemon Roast Chicken with Chorizo Stuffing

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
2. Lay the sliced onions in the middle of a roasting tin.Mix the oil with 2 tsp paprika and leaves from one of the thyme sprigs. Rub all over the chicken, sit it on top of the onions and season well. Push 3 of the lemon halves inside the cavity, cover the chicken loosely with foil and roast for 45 mins.
3. Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Cook the diced chorizo over a low-medium heat until crisp and plenty of oil has collected in the pan. Scoop out the chorizo to cool, and tip the chopped onions into the pan. Soften gently for 15-20 mins, then tip into a bowl to cool.
4. Rub together the cooking chorizo meat and the breadcrumbs, as if you were rubbing butter into flour to make pastry. When the breadcrumbs are all orange, mix in the cooked chorizo and onions, apricots, parsley, leaves from another thyme sprig, remaining paprika, the lemon zest and egg. Squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon half, season with lots of pepper, then use your hands to squish everything together really well.
5. Grease a small roasting tin and push in the stuffing,roughing up the surface with a fork – this will create lots of crispy bits.Tear over the remaining thyme sprigs.
6. After 45 mins, remove the foil from the chicken and pour the wine and stock into the tin. Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and put the chicken back in with the stuffing on a shelf below. Roast for another 45 mins until the juices between the legs and body run clear.
7. Rest the chicken for 15 mins while you bubble the pan juices to reduce a little, then carve and serve with the stuffing,educed juices,and sautéed potatoes and steamed broccoli, if you like.

Ingredients:

4 onions, 2 unpeeled and thickly sliced, 2 finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for greasing

3 tsp sweet smoked paprika

4 lemon thyme sprigs

1½ kg whole chicken

2 lemons, zested and then halved

100g diced chorizo

120g cooking chorizo meat squeezed from the skins

175g fresh white breadcrumbs

100g soft dried apricots, chopped

4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 large egg, beaten

250ml glass white wine

400ml chicken stock

Sautéed potatoes and steamed broccoli, to serve (optional)