Pot Roast Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Lemon

Hola! Ive made this delicious, smoky, sweet one-pot wonder look more complicated than it actually is because I halved a whole chicken by removing the back bone with my trusty poultry shears. But if you fancy trying this recipe yourself you could just use chicken legs or bone-in thighs. 

Its packed with spongey veg which absorb all the glorious flavours from the lemons, wine, chorizo, paprika and garlic.

On reflection, I didnt need to serve it with Champ (potatoes mashed with shredded cabbage) becase there was more than enough without.

Serves 2-4

Half free-range chicken (see below)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 small chorizo sausages, cut into 1 cm rounds
2 lemons, cut into quarters
1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally across the centre
Root vegetables cut into chunks (use what you fancy, but I went for celeriac and squash)
1 glass white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Remove the backbone from the chicken by turning it onto its breast then, with a pair of poultry shears, cutting through the ribs where they join the vertebrae. Set aside to make into stock for another dish. Turn the chicken over with the breasts and legs facing up. Flatten the bird with the heel of your hand then, using a very sharp knife, follow the breast bone to cut the chicken into two halves. Save one half to make another recipe.

2. Rub the chicken skin with paprika.

3. Pile the chunky chopped veg , chorizo rounds and garlic into a large casserole pot with a close fitting lid. Put the chicken on top, then squeeze the lemons over the skin and season with salt and pepper. Toss the juiced lemons into the pot, then pour in the wine all around the chicken.

4. Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3. Put the lid on the pot and cook the chicken for approx. 1 hour.  when the time is up, remove the lid from the pot and continue to cook for a further 20-30 mins to brown the skin.

5. Remove the chicken from the pot and carve into a leg and breast (I prefer the leg; my wife the breast). Pile the vegetables onto plates, then the chicken, then pour over the delicious orange juices.