Lemon and thyme roast chicken

Position a shelf low in the oven, so that there is room to fit in the chicken, and another shelf near the top to roast the potatoes. Set to Gas Mark 6 or 200°C. Put the chicken in the roasting tin, sprinkle evenly with the seasoning.

Finely grate the lemon zest and put that on one side for the vegetables. Cut the lemon in half and push it inside the chicken with the onion wedges and 4 thyme sprigs. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Drizzle the oil over the chicken. Put the remaining thyme sprigs on top. Pour the apple juice around the chicken in the tin. Put it into the hot oven and roast for about 1 hour 20 mins. (For different weight chickens allow 20 mins per 500g, plus an extra 20 mins.) After 40 mins, ask an adult to baste the chicken with the juices, to keep the meat moist.

Wearing oven gloves, carefully remove the chicken from the oven. Push a fork into the chicken leg. If the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked. If the juices are pink, the chicken needs to be cooked for a further 10 mins, and then checked again.

When it is cooked, ask an adult to lift the chicken on to a serving dish, cover with foil and take to the table ready for carving. Get help to pour all the juices and crispy bits from the roasting tin into a small pan.

Put the pan on a gentle heat and sprinkle in the thickening granules. Whisk well, until the juices thicken to a gravy. Ask an adult to pour the gravy into a jug, ready to serve with the chicken.