Chicken roast with potatoes and gravy

I am an ardent follower of Ms. Mary Berry. The way she cooks, presentation everything is truly spellbound. A few weeks back, I bought a cook book of her, 'Mary Berry- Cooks the perfect'. This book has many amazing recipes and the tips given can make your food spot on. The first recipe I referred was the Sunday roast. I added my own seasonings but followed the temperature, time and other tips from the book. This is a foolproof recipe which you can make in minimal effort. Unfortunately, I don't have step wise pictures but will update when I make next time. But honestly, there's no need for images. You can just follow the recipe and I'm sure would be spot on.

Yields: 3-4 servings

Ingredients: 
1. Whole chicken- around 1 kg 300 gms/ medium
2. Potatoes- 2 or 3 medium cut into quarters
3. Onion- 1 sliced
4. Chicken stock- 400 ml or mix 1 chicken stock cube in 400 ml of hot water
5. Plain flour- 1.5 tbsp
6. Lemon- 2-3 wedges
7. Garlic- 3 cloves
8. Dry herbs- to season
9. Salt and pepper- to season
10. Bay leaves-3 (optional)
11. Butter (at room temperature)- 60 g or as required for marinating

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 deg (fan 180 deg/400F/Gas 6). Grease a large roasting tin with butter.
2. Place the chicken on a wooden board or on a big pan. Spread the butter under and over the skin all over.
3. Tuck in the garlic cloves on either side of the breast portion and one inside.
4. Place the lemon wedges inside the chicken.
5. Season well with salt, pepper and dry herbs all over the chicken.
6. Scatter the sliced onions in the centre of the roasting pan and place the chicken facing upside over the onions.
7. Roast for 50 minutes.
8. After 50 minutes, baste* the chicken, cover loosely with aluminium foil so that it doesn't burn later. Spread the potatoes around and tuck in the bay leaves in between.
9. Roast the chicken along with potatoes for another 50 minutes, turning the potatoes half way through and basting* with juices.
10. Just pierce in through the chicken thighs with a knife or fork and if the juices runs clear then it's done.
11. Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving dish. Mix the plain flour in chicken stock.
12. Blend in the stock with the juices and onions in roasting pan. Mix well and strain the stock.
13. Transfer it to a sauce pan and cook in low flame for 2-3 minutes until reduced to gravy consistency. Season with bit of salt and pepper. Switch off the flame.

baste/basting*- Pour over the buttery juices all over to make it more succulent.

Enjoy having this yummy roast on a lazy day :)