Ingredients

• 2kg/4lb 6oz oven-ready chicken
• thawed if frozen
• giblets removed
• 1 small bunch fresh rosemary
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 2 lemons
• finely zested
• 80g/3oz pancetta
• chopped
• 150g/5¼oz mascarpone
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 onions
• thickly sliced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
• 600ml/1pt chicken stock
• stuffing balls wrapped in bacon

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Wash the chicken and pat dry.
• Strip the leaves from half the rosemary and thyme stalks and finely chop.
• In a bowl
• combine the lemon zest
• chopped rosemary and thyme
• pancetta and mascarpone. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Halve the zested lemons and stuff into the chicken's cavity
• along with the remaining herb sprigs.
• Use your hand to loosen the skin lying over the breast of the chicken
• to create a pocket. Push the mascarpone mixture under the breast skin to create a thick
• even layer.
• Put the onion slices into a large
• flameproof roasting tin. Place the chicken on top and cover loosely with foil.
• Cook for 1½-2 hours
• basting every 30 minutes
• until the juices of the bird run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer. If necessary
• uncover for the last 30 minutes to brown the bird.
• When cooked
• take the chicken from the oven
• remove from the roasting tin and leave to rest on a platter
• covered loosely with foil
• for 30 minutes.
• To make the gravy
• pour away any excess fat from the roasting tin and discard the onion slices.
• Set in the roasting tin over a medium heat
• then sprinkle over the flour. Stir through and cook for two minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the wine and stock.
• Bring to the boil
• scraping the bits from the bottom of the roasting tin
• then simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes.
• Serve the gravy with the chicken and stuffing balls wrapped in bacon.