Marinated Slow Roast Chicken with Jus

Herb Marinade
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large bunch rosemary
1 large bunch thyme
1 large bunch sage
1 small lemon, zested
4 tbsp olive oil

1 medium chicken - the best quality you can afford (used 1.2kg)
5 carrots, halved
100g butter, softened
150ml white wine

Jus
1/2 cup White wine
2cups Chicken stock
100ml cream

1. Put garlic, herbs, zest, oil in marinating bowl/dish. Add whole chicken & rub everything into chicken. Leave to marinate overnight. (But 2hrs is sufficient if left to last minute)
2. Heat oven to 140C fan.
3. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 mins before you want to cook it. Put the carrots in a large roasting tin and top with the chicken. Scatter the herbs and garlic from the marinade over, around and inside the bird.
4. Push the lemon inside the chicken too, halving to fit if necessary.
5. Rub the butter all over the skin and season generously.
6. Pour the wine into the tin with 150ml water, cover tightly with a tent of foil (so it doesn’t touch the top of the bird, I used toothpicks to hold it up) and cook for 2 hrs.
7. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 1 hr more, or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear
8. Increase oven to 220C fan and roast for 25-30 mins more until the skin is really crisp. Lift the chicken from the tin to rest on a plate for 30 mins, covered again with the foil.
9. Remove carrots.

Jus
1. Good drippings are the foundation for a good sauce. Tilt the pan and spoon off as much fat as possible.
2. Put the roasting tin on the hob, add wine & chicken stock and bubble to reduce the cooking juices till there is only about 2/3cup (syrupy glaze consistency may take up to 15mins on high)
3. Once reduced add cream. By itself, the sauce will taste very salty but together with chicken, it's just perfect.