After being away from home for two weeks I picked up my dogs from K9 Liz and headed to the nearest supermarket, knowing that my fridge was empty and there was very little choice in my freezer.

A fresh free range chicken and a selection of root vegetables are always a good option.

I stuffed the bird with a cooked combination of lardons, onion, breadcrumbs, garlic, pine nuts, raisins, herbs and spices.

Sitting the trussed up bird on a rack, I filled up a roasting tray with sliced potatoes, parsnips, carrot, celery and leeks. Adding black peppercorns, bay leaves and water would allow the vegetables to half boil and half roast, benefiting from the dripping juices whilst the bird is cooking.

I roasted the bird at 180°C until the skin was golden and I could easily pull a leg away from the body.

Covering loosely with foil, the chicken could rest whilst I cranked the oven up to 220° and returned the vegetables to finish roasting - at this stage you may need to add more liquid.

When done, plate up the vegetables, then place the tray over the gas hob to reduce. Add any juices exuded from the chicken.

Tomato purée and some Dijon mustard will flavour and thicken up the gravy.

The chicken will give me four meals during the week; the dogs get the trimmings and the carcass, which, together with carrots and an onion, makes another stock.

And, as I had some pork sausages in the dark depths of my freezer I used my stock to make Dublin Coddle

This roast chicken over vegetables recipe is part of my easy chicken dinner ideas collection – a complete guide to cooking every cut, every style, from Casa Adora and the road.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.