Marinated roast chicken

This week I would like to explore the delights of marinated chicken which is then roasted, maintaining the flavour without the heavy sauce.

Serves 4

1 roast chicken or 8 chicken thighs
3T olive oil
2T white wine vinegar
50ml white wine
1T freshly minced garlic
2T paprika
1T ground cumin
Juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
1T water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 bay leaves

Mix all the ingredients, except the bay leaves, in a bowl. Wash the chicken, remove excess fat and dry off. use a sharp non-serrated knife to poke holes in the chicken. Place the chicken in the marinade, making sure it is evenly coated, for 12 hours-24 hours in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Take the chicken out of the fridge and return to room temperature. Cook in an oven proof dish with the bay leaves for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the juices run clear. If cooking a whole chicken, place a whole onion, lemon thyme and 1/2 lemon in the cavity. Serve with couscous and roasted vegetables, or a potato bake and salad.