The cider in this recipe really comes together with the Pink Lady® apples to bring an edge to a traditional pot roast.
Full preparation
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6.
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Lay the chicken in a roasting tin and stuff the inside with the lemon quarters, squeezing them a little to release their juice as you do so. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes to lightly crisp up the skin.
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Whilst the chicken is roasting, add the rest of the olive oil to a large flameproof casserole dish. Gently cook the onions, carrots and celery with the bay leaves and rosemary over a low heat until soft and lightly caramelized. Cooking slowly for around 30 minutes will give you a really sweet base to cook the chicken on, so take your time.
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Once the onion and carrot are soft, add the garlic and fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Stir through the flour, pour in the cider and stock and season with a little salt and pepper.
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Remove the chicken from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Carefully lift the chicken from the roasting tin and lay in the casserole dish on top of the vegetables. Pour over any roasting juices from the pan, cover with a tight fitting lid or snugly tucked piece of foil and put back in the oven for an hour.
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Remove from the oven and tuck in the apple pieces, pressing under the liquid. Return to the oven, uncovered, and cook for 20 minutes or so until the apples are soft. Stir through the creme fraiche and scatter over the parsley.
