Pot-roast chicken with caramelised lemon, thyme & mushroom sauce

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and season all over with salt. Heat a large, lidded casserole or saucepan (big enough to fit the chicken) over a medium-high heat and add the oil. Once hot, fry the chicken, breast-side down, for 3-4 minutes until golden, then fry on each side in the same way until as much of it as possible is coloured. Remove to a plate.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until beginning to soften and colour. Meanwhile, halve the lemon lengthways, remove any pips, then finely slice. Add to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes more, until the onion and lemon are golden, lightly caramelised and soft.

Add the garlic halves, pour in the sherry, increase the heat to high and allow to bubble until reduced by three-quarters. Add the wild mushrooms, chicken stock and thyme, then bring to a simmer and add the chicken, breast-side up. Cover with a grind of black pepper, then transfer to the oven with the lid on.

Cook for 1 hour, then remove from the oven and leave to rest with the lid on for 20 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through with no pink meat and juices that run clear. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot, carve the meat, then reheat the sauce to a simmer, check the seasoning and add a final splash of sherry. Serve the chicken with mashed or roasted potatoes and green veg or carrots, if liked, with the sauce poured over (discard the garlic and thyme stalks).