Post by @jadesbitesuk

🥕 Elevating the humble carrot | Upside Down Roast Chicken with Carrot Top Pesto Last year I shared my upside down carrots and they were such a hit, I wanted to take the idea one step further… This time the whole chicken roasts on top of the carrots and potatoes, allowing all those delicious juices to drip down and flavour the vegetables underneath. And the best part? The carrot tops don’t go in the bin — they become a fresh, herby pesto 🌱 Ingredients 🍗 1 large whole chicken 🥕 6-10 Carrots with tops attached, halved 🥔 1 bag New potatoes, halved 🧄 1 garlic bulb Season the tray with: * @krudeoliveoil Lemon infused olive oil (or olive oil + lemon zest) * 1 tsp thyme * 1 tsp garlic granules * ½ tsp salt * Black pepper Season the chicken with: * Lemon olive oil * ½ tsp garlic granules * ½ tsp thyme * Salt & pepper Roast at 180°C fan for around 1 hour until cooked through. Remove chicken and rest, then return carrots to the oven for 10–15 minutes to caramelise. Carrot Top Pesto 🥕 Leftover carrot tops (washed well) 🌱 30g basil leaves 🧀 50g Parmesan 🌻 50g sunflower seeds 🧄 1 garlic clove 🍋 Juice of 1 lemon 🫒 Around 100ml olive oil Salt & pepper Blend Parmesan, sunflower seeds and garlic first, then add the greens, lemon and oil until smooth. Serve with the roast chicken, crispy potatoes, roasted carrots, pesto and those beautiful chicken juices. 🌱 No waste tip: Cut carrot tops off and pop them in water to encourage them to regrow. Don’t throw away basil stalks either — put them in water and you may get fresh growth! A simple Sunday roast made better by using the whole ingredient ❤️ Much Love, Jade x