Paprika Roast Chicken

Check out this brilliant hack for your Sunday roast - roasting paprika-infused chicken directly on the oven bars means you get super-crispy skin and all the tasty juices rain down on to the lucky veg below. Delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (about 4-5 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled
• Fresh thyme sprigs (for garnish, optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Rinse the chicken inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and olive oil to create a spice rub.
4. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin and inside the cavity. Make sure it's evenly coated.
5. Squeeze the juice from one lemon half over the chicken and place the other lemon half inside the chicken's cavity.
6. Add the quartered onion and peeled garlic cloves to the roasting pan around the chicken.
7. Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
8. If the skin gets too dark during roasting, you can cover it loosely with foil.
9. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the meat moist.
10. Garnish the roasted chicken with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.