Roast chicken with buttery stuffing balls

Method

1. Heat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/gas 8. Put the chicken in a roasting tin and rub the butter all over it. Season well with salt and pepper and squeeze over the juice of the lemon. Put the thyme and garlic inside the chicken cavity along with the squeezed-out lemon halves, then tuck the shallots under the chicken.
2. Roast for 10-15 minutes, baste with the juices, then turn the oven down to 190°C/ 170°C fan/gas 5 and roast for 60 minutes more, basting occasionally, until the chicken juices run clear when pierced in the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer (or a digital probe thermometer reads 75°C).
3. Transfer the roasted chicken to a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and leave to rest while you make the stuffing.
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4. Pour the buttery juices from the tin into a jug and set aside with the shallots. In a food processor whizz the bread slices to chunky crumbs, then add 150ml of the reserved juices, the shallots and the garlic from the chicken cavity (squeezed from the skins). Whizz with the sausagemeat, parsley, egg and seasoning until just combined. Roll and shape into 12 x 4cm balls.
5. Put the stuffing balls in the roasting tin and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with the chicken and cauliflower cheese, if making.