Jamie Oliver presents a joyful twist on a family favourite that brings a little trip to France straight to the kitchen. This roast chicken with roasted garlic, smoky streaky bacon and mushrooms sits on a bed of spinachy lentils finished with crème fraîche — a brilliant example of cooking, easy recipes that feel special but are simple to pull together on a busy day.
Why this roast works
Jamie balances comfort with discovery: the familiar reassurance of a golden roast chicken paired with new layers of flavour — whole roasted garlic, tarragon and an oven-pan of mixed mushrooms that soak up every drop of gravy. It’s the kind of recipe that proves cooking, easy recipes can still excite and impress.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5–2kg)
- Olive oil and a little splash of vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 whole bulb of garlic, halved across the cloves
- A bunch of tarragon (leaves reserved, stalks used to flavour the cavity)
- 6–8 rashers smoked streaky bacon (or pancetta)
- 650g mixed mushrooms (shiitake, chestnut, chestnut, king oyster, portobello — tear small ones)
- Olive oil for the mushrooms
- 2 bags spinach
- Green lentils, tin or cooked (approx 400–500g drained)
- Crème fraîche for enriching the lentils
Method — roast, rest, and build flavour
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Rub the chicken all over with olive oil, a splash of vinegar, salt, pepper and tarragon. Tuck the tarragon stalk in the cavity for aroma and add the halved garlic bulb to the tray.
- Roast the chicken for about an hour, then remove the tray and drain off most of the juices to concentrate flavour. Lay streaky bacon over the breast and return the bird to the oven for 20 minutes — this crisps the bacon, helps baste the meat and evens the cooking between breast and legs.
- While the chicken finishes, scatter the mixed mushrooms in the base of the oven tray (or on the lowest shelf) so they fry from below and roast from above in the chicken juices — this is what gives them that incredible, caramelised depth.
- Once done, rest the chicken on the mushrooms for 10–15 minutes so the juices redistribute and the mushrooms soak up the flavour. Angle the pan to spoon any sticky, caramelised juices over the top before serving.
Spinachy lentils with crème fraîche
Jamie pairs this roast with a simple French-inspired bed of lentils and wilted spinach — an ideal foil for the rich chicken and mushrooms.
- Warm cooked green lentils in a pan, season with salt and pepper and add a tiny swig of vinegar to brighten the dish.
- Take the pan off the heat and drop in a couple of spoonfuls of crème fraîche. Let it melt into the lentils without stirring too aggressively — allow it to ripple through for texture.
- Quickly wilt the spinach in the same tray with a splash of olive oil, or in a separate pan, and pile onto the platter beneath the chicken so the gravy trickles into the lentils.
Hands-on tips & tricks
- Use the bacon: it acts as a shield for the breast, renders fat to baste the bird and adds smoky depth to the mushrooms.
- Mix your mushrooms: tear small ones, slice larger king oysters — variety gives contrasting textures and looks beautiful on the plate.
- Vinegar is the secret lift: a tiny splash in the lentils cuts through richness and brings harmony.
- Crème fraîche not cream: it adds richness with a pleasant tang without flattening the flavours.
- Make it ahead: roast the chicken and warm the lentils shortly before serving for relaxed hosting — great for family lunch routines.
"That tarragon that you think could be insignificant actually is like the icing on the cake." — Jamie Oliver
Common questions
- Can you use tinned lentils? Yes — drained tinned lentils work brilliantly and save time.
- Substitute for streaky bacon? Use pancetta or prosciutto, but smoked streaky adds a lovely roast-house aroma.
- Is this suitable for weeknight cooking? Absolutely — this is a one-tray style roast that fits into the family rhythm and proves that cooking, easy recipes can be both fast and impressive.
Serve slices of the juicy roast chicken over the spinach and lentils so the natural gravy from the mushrooms and bacon pools into every forkful. This is a plate that looks like an oil painting and tastes like a celebration — simple, joyous and very achievable.
Jamie’s idea is a sweet reminder that with a few smart moves and pantry-friendly ingredients, cooking, easy recipes can deliver big smiles at the table.
This article was created from the video NEW Flavours! Roast Chicken Idea You Should Try At Home with the help of AI.
NEW Flavours! Roast Chicken Idea You Should Try At Home - cooking, easy recipes. There are any NEW Flavours! Roast Chicken Idea You Should Try At Home - cooking, easy recipes in here.
