Stove-Top Thyme-Crusted Roast Chicken With Onion Gravy

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Boil a kettle, then peel your potatoes and chop them in half

Top, tail, peel and slice your carrot[s] into chunks on the diagonal

Crush your garlic open by squashing it with the side of a knife (keep the skins on!)

Add the chopped potato and sliced carrot to a pot with plenty of boiled water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-12 min, then drain over a large bowl and save the water for later, then shake them around the colander to fluff up the edges, reserve the pot

While the potatoes are cooking, strip your thyme leaves from their stems and chop them roughly, discard the stems

Add your chicken breast portion[s] to a chopping board and slice through the thickest part of the chicken, being careful not to cut all the way through to the other side and open it out like a book

Cover with cling film and bash with a rolling pin until you have an even thickness – this is your butterflied chicken

Season the butterflied chicken with half the thyme (save the rest for later!) and a pinch of salt and pepper – this is your seasoned chicken

Once the potato and carrot is cooked, heat a large wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a very generous drizzle of olive oil (enough to cover the base of the pan) over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the crushed garlic and remaining thyme and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the drained potato & carrot with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 min or until golden and crispy, turning occasionally for even colouring

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a separate large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a generous drizzle of olive oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the seasoned chicken and cook for 4 min on each side until golden

While the chicken is browning, dissolve your chicken stock mix, Marmite and onion marmalade in 250ml [325ml] [425ml] of the reserved water – this is your onion gravy stock

Once the chicken is golden, reduce heat to medium, add 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] flour to the pan and stir for 30 secs

Stir in the onion gravy stock and cook for a further 10-12 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) and the gravy has thickened

While the gravy is thickening, trim, then chop your green beans in half

Add the halved green beans to the reserved pot and cover them with the remaining reserved water (just enough to cover them)

Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 3-4 min or until tender, then drain and stir through a knob of butter

Season with a generous grind of black pepper