Crisp skin and moist meat

         STEPS FOR THE PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

1. Remove the wishbone for easy carving: Stand the bird on its rump end, push aside the skin covering the neck and locate the V shaped wishbone with your fingers. Using a knife slit the surrounding flesh to expose the wishbone. Snap the wishbone from its attachment at the shoulder joints (at the point where it meets the collarbones, shoulder blades and wing bones). Job Done!
2. Season the chicken: Wash and dry inside the cavity and sprinkle generously with salt. Add a halved lemon, a sprig of rosemary and ½ an onion.
3. Finely chop streaky bacon with fresh herbs and bind together with a little olive oil (not butter as it pervades the meat juices and will spoilt the taste of the gravy. Carefully separate the skin from the breast meat (be careful it tears easily) then spread this mixture over the breasts. 
4. Slash the chicken thighs with a sharp knife for even cooking, that way the legs will cook more quickly and be ready at the same time as the breast meat.

Trussing the chicken:

1. Place the chicken on a chopping board with its legs directly in front.
2. Take the string and run it around the back of the chicken and then back towards you taking the string under its wings and then under the legs.
3. Crossover the string under the legs, then cross the legs over one another and secure by making a loop around them first from right, then from the left.
4. Pull tight and bring the sides of the string up above the chicken and make a double knot, make another double knot and trim off the string.
5. Your chicken is now ready to be cooked.
6. Crispy chicken skin: rub the skin with olive oil and season with salt, to  draw out any moisture.
7. Roast the chicken breast-side down: Roast for 30 minutes so the juices run into the breast meat helping to keep them moist, then turn it over.
8. Check for doneness: Insert skewer into thickest part of the thigh. It is cooked through when the juices run clear. Alternatively wiggle the leg, it should be loose.