If like me you’re frequently pushed for time and need to create a delicious, satisfying one-dish meal that’s ready within the hour, then this recipe is perfect and it only takes a few minutes to assemble.

Honey roasted chicken with rosemary and root vegetables will be ready to serve straight from the pan in approx 35-45 minutes. You can use you favorite chicken pieces – I like bone-in thighs as they cook quickly but if you prefer chicken breast, make sure they’re on the bone.

The basic recipe below calls for carrots, parsnips and potatoes but you can vary it by adding peeled, cubed butternut squash and/or thinly sliced fennel.

In the UK we might also include baby turnips or swede (rutabaga) but I understand there’s a general aversion to eating certain root vegetables in the US, as they’re fed to livestock or something.

I’m as happy as any hog to eat them however and the baby turnips available in places like Wholefoods are delightful in my opinion; simply trimmed, halved, steamed until tender then tossed in butter with a touch of soft brown sugar.

Either way – turnips or no turnips, parsnips are a must for this recipe.

Be sure to cut the vegetables to approx the same size and if using fennel, quarter it and cut out the hard core, trim off any scruffy outer bits then slice approx ½ inch thick.

Honey & Rosemary Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables

CHICKEN ROASTED with ROSEMARY, HONEY & ROOT VEGETABLES

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs on the bone, skin on (you don’t have to eat the skin but it creates the most succulent result)

2 large baking potatoes, unpeeled, washed, patted dry and cut into chunky wedges – or, an equivalent quantity of baby potatoes, unpeeled, washed and halved

1 large parsnip – peeled and cut into chunks (if there’s a particularly large hard core, trim some of it away)

1 lb / 454g of carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

A large sprig of fresh rosemary, roughly chopped and stalks discarded.

3 tablespoons of extra-v olive oil

2 tablespoons of honey

The grated zest and juice of 1 large orange

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 375F / 190C

Arrange the vegetables in a large roasting pan. Season lightly, sprinkle with the rosemary, drizzle with the olive oil and give everything a good toss to coat.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, take the roasting pan out of the oven and nestle the chicken pieces between the vegetables. Mix together the honey, orange zest and juice; pour over the chicken and season the chicken with a little sea salt and black pepper.

Roast for another 30 – 35 minutes (for thighs) or until everything is cooked. Make sure that the juices run clear not pink when a skewer is inserted into the chicken – if necessary give it a few more minutes.

Serve straight from the roasting pan scattered with a few fresh rosemary leaves if you like and with something green on the side, or not.