Chicken with Onions, Leeks, and Baby Potatoes

Method

1. 1

   Get the oven going

   Whack the oven on to 180°C and slide a roasting tray in while it heats. A hot tray means the potatoes and chicken get a head start on a proper golden colour the second they hit it.

2. 2

   Chop everything roughly the same

   Halve the baby potatoes, cut the onion into nice fat wedges and slice the leek into thick rounds — too thin and they'll disappear. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife, skin on is grand, they'll go soft and sweet in the heat.

3. 3

   Dress the tray

   Tip the chicken, potatoes, onion, leek and garlic in, glug over the olive oil and season with salt and a good crack of black pepper. Toss it about with your hands then spread it out in one layer — chicken sitting proud on top, not buried under the veg. Tuck the thyme sprigs in around it.

4. 4

   In with the wine

   Pour the white wine around the chicken, not over it, so it pools in the base of the tray. It'll steam the veg from underneath and reduce down into pan juices you'll want to mop up later.

5. 5

   Into the oven

   Roast for 35–40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, the potatoes give easily to a knife and the edges of the onion are catching a bit of colour. Give the potatoes a turn halfway if they're looking pale.

6. 6

   Rest it, then serve

   Let the chicken sit for 3 minutes — don't skip this. Spoon the soft leeks, onion and that garlicky tray juice over the top, pull out the thyme stems (the leaves will have dropped in on their own) and taste a potato before you reach for any more salt.