A simple roast chicken is something I think every cook should learn how to do properly. If you can rustle up a winning chicken dinner, then you'll get brownie points from whoever you are serving it to, I promise you that. So in this episode of 'no one has any money because we are being shafted from all angles by profiteering nob head ball bags' I am going to show how to turn a cheap old bird into something pretty special!

To make my simple roast chicken you will need:

• 1 small or medium whole chicken

• 1 large brown onion

• 2 large sticks of celery

• About 4 large carrots

• 2 bay leaves

• A small bouquet of herbs (I used thyme, rosemary and sage)

• 1 lemon

• 1 bulb of garlic

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper

If making the gravy

• About 2tbsp of plain flour

• About 750ml of chicken stock

• 1 tbsp of oil or butter