Chicken with lime stuffing

Ingredients

1 chicken, about 2.3kg/5lb
vegetable oil for brushing

225g/8oz courgette, cut into strips
25g/1oz butter

juice of 1 lime

For the stuffing

100g/4oz courgettes, trimmed and coarsely grated

100g/4oz soft cheese
finely grated zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.

• To make the stuffing, mix the courgette with the cheese, lime zest, breadcrumbs and seasoning.

• Carefully ease the skin away from the breast of the chicken with your fingertips, taking care not to split the skin. Push the stuffing under the skin, to cover the breast evenly.

• Put the chicken in a roasting tin, brush with the oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes per 500g/1lb 2oz plus 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes.

• Sauté the courgettes in the butter and lime juice until just tender, then serve hot with the chicken.