Description

This comforting roast chicken recipe features crispy, squashed new potatoes infused with lemon, garlic, and herbs, paired perfectly with cheesy creamed spinach. Served alongside tender cooked carrots, it makes a wholesome and satisfying family meal.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Potatoes & Chicken

700g baby new potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, zested
4 garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled
small bunch of thyme, leaves picked and torn, plus a few small leaves to serve
4 bay leaves
chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks)
½ tsp paprika
Salt and pepper, to season

For the Vegetables

300g carrots, cooked, to serve

For the Cheesy Creamed Spinach

200g bag baby spinach
knob of butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
300ml milk
generous grating of nutmeg
20g mature cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat and boil potatoes: Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Halve any large new potatoes so all are roughly the same size. Place the potatoes in a pan of water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain well.
Prepare potatoes and chicken for roasting: Transfer potatoes to a large roasting tray in a single layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add lemon zest, whole garlic cloves, torn thyme leaves, and bay leaves. Toss gently to coat. Use a potato masher to gently press and crack each potato, careful to keep them mostly intact. Place chicken legs on top. Rub the remaining olive oil and paprika over the chicken pieces, then season well.
Roast chicken and potatoes: Place the roasting tray in the oven and roast for 45 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Wilt the spinach: Meanwhile, bring a kettle to boil. Place the spinach in a colander and pour boiling water over it to wilt the leaves. Leave to cool, then squeeze out excess liquid and roughly chop the spinach.
Make the creamed spinach sauce: In a pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add crushed garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute to form a roux. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring continuously to form a smooth sauce. Simmer gently while stirring until it thickens.
Combine spinach with sauce and bake: Stir the chopped spinach and a generous grating of nutmeg into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, sprinkle with grated mature cheddar, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
Rest the chicken and serve: Remove the roasting tray from the oven and cover the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Set aside two chicken legs to cool, then chill for next-day lunch. Serve the remaining chicken legs (one full leg per adult and one drumstick or thigh per child) with the squashed new potatoes, cheesy creamed spinach, and cooked carrots on the side. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Notes

Gently cracking the new potatoes before roasting allows the edges to crisp up beautifully while keeping the insides soft.
Using whole garlic cloves in the roasting tray infuses a subtle garlic aroma without overpowering the dish.
The cheesy creamed spinach can be made ahead and baked just before serving to save time.
Make sure to rest the chicken for a few minutes after roasting to allow the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat moist.
Leftover chicken legs make a great protein addition to next-day salads or sandwiches.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Keywords: roast chicken, new potatoes, squash potatoes, cheesy spinach, creamy spinach, easy dinner, family meal, one tray dinner