Whole Roast Chicken - Succulent - A winner for all the family

Whole Roast Chicken. Simple, succulent (if cooked properly) and a hit with kids and parents alike. Few things taste better, and with the days getting colder, it's quite timely.

When roasting a whole chicken it can be tricky to keep the breast juicy. That's why Jamie Oliver's approach is so cool.

In a bowl, mix the following:

• A generous lump of soft butter - say ¼lb / 120g
• A few cloves of chopped or crushed (easier) garlic
• Lots of salt & pepper
• The juice from a wedge of lemon

Then carefully apply this lovely paste directly on to the breast of the chicken, but under the skin.

Make sure you don't overcook this bird. I'm not so good at telling when meat is cooked or not - so I tend to use a thermometer.

For whole chicken I go with 165° in the breast and about 180° in the leg (leg will always be hotter).

Jamie Oliver writes some really sensible simple recipes - check out his books below.