The most odd thoughts pop into my mind sometimes when I go to bed and this was no exception, but I am so pleased it did as the result was superb.

I had a fresh chicken in the fridge ready for roasting the next day and I had a huge yearning to serve it with a lemon sauce.

The following morning I defrosted a bag of chicken stock (I’ll use the remainder as a base for a soup) and reduced it down to concentrate the flavour, added what I thought would work and hey presto…….a delicious sauce which went so well with our herby-covered roast chicken, roast sweet potato and roasted beetroot.    The lemon sauce ‘lifted’ the chicken to a delicious new level.   Really, really tasty.

This is not a sickly sweet lemon sauce, but a rather pleasant high-flavour lemon tasting one which complimented the sweet potato and beetroot as well as the chicken.

Tip:  Don’t throw away the squeezed lemon, pop it inside the cavity of your chicken for extra flavour and moistness.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large lemon, or 2 small
About ½ pint good quality chicken stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Half a teaspoon coconut sugar
1 – 2 teaspoons arrowroot or cornflour

METHOD:  to serve 4
Finely grate the zest from the lemon and squeeze out the juice.

Simmer the stock until it reduces, adding the lemon zest half-way through – 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the lemon juice, sugar and seasonings and thicken with either arrowroot or cornflour mixed with a little water.   It’s a matter of choice, but the sauce can be sieved now to remove the zest and make it really smooth.

Reheat before serving with sliced roast chicken.

Herby Roast Chicken with Lemon Sauce, Sweet Potato and Roasted Beetroot

NB:  All photographs used in this blog have been taken by me, and are of food I have prepared and served myself.