Chicken with apricot and sage stuffing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.

2. For the stuffing: put the apricots, sage, lemon juice and zest into a food processor with a splash of water and olive oil and process until the apricots are finely chopped. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Spatchcock the boned chicken in half across its length and spread the apricot paste onto one side in a long even sausage shape. Roll up the chicken into a tight roll and tie with loops of butcher's twine wrapped around the meat at 3cm intervals and tightened with slipknots.

4. Brush the skin of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Put the chicken in a roasting pan.

5. Cut the lemons in half, sprinkle the cut sides with sugar and put into the roasting pan with the chicken.

6. Toss the carrots in a bowl with the thyme leaves, a squeeze of lemon juice and a squeeze of orange juice.

7. Roast the chicken and lemon halves for 45 minutes-1 hour until the chicken is golden on the outside and cooked through, turning the temperature down to 180C/gas 4 after the first 10 minutes. (Check the temperature inside the cooked chicken with a probe: it should be 78C.) The lemons should be caramelised. 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, add the carrots to the roasting pan to roast in the juices.

8. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes in a warm place before serving.

9. Remove the caramelised lemons from the roasting pan and pass through a chinois into a bowl. Stir in the creme fraiche until well combined.

10. Melt a knob of butter in a heavy-based frying pan, add the baby chard, garlic and a splash of white wine and fry for 2-3 minutes.

11. To serve, slice the chicken and accompany with the roasted carrots, sauteed baby chard and the roasted lemon creme fraiche.