Schwartz 2in1 Garlic & Thyme Roast Chicken & Crispy Roast Potatoes

Roast chicken is our family favourite, and I have fond memories of my Mum cooking the roast chicken (either placed on a big tray of sea salt or sitting on a glass jar or a beer can, does anyone remember that 1980s trend of roasting the chicken?). It has to have the crispy skin, of course, and succulent moist meat, and what could be possibly better than a side dish of the crispy roast potatoes to go with it? Schwartz has produced a 2in1 Garlic & Thyme Roast Chicken mix which combines the classic flavours and makes the cooking job that little bit easier.

 As I tend to have a couple of packets of Schwartz potato wedge mixes in the kitchen in case we fancy a quick dinner, I knew I could trust Schwartz when it comes to potato dishes. You might have read my review of Schwartz 2in1 Mediterranean Chicken Pasta (Dinnertime with Schwartz), which I wasn't impressed with, and I was hoping that the 2nd packet of 2in1 (which I received for testing and reviewing) would restore my faith in Schwartz.

 2in1 Garlic & Thyme Roast Chicken + Crispy Roast Potatoes packet follows the same principle: you get two different mixes for two different stages of cooking the dish.
It is very easy to follow the instructions, and even the beginner chef could make this dinner with a minimum of effort. The only thing I added is the quartered lemon in the cavity.
What do you need to do? Place the chicken in the roasting tray and score the breasts and legs.
In a small bowl mix the roast chicken seasoning with the oil and brush all over the chicken. Place it in the oven, covered with the foil (this will keep the chicken moist and prevent from drying). For the last 45 minutes the chicken is cooked without the foil, so that the skin gets all nice and crispy.
The potatoes are parboiled and cooked in a separate roasting dish, sprinkled with the potato seasoning.

 Now what did we think of it? The chicken seasoning was very flavourful, and as I mentioned before, has the classic ingredients in it. The chicken was exactly as it should be, crispy on the outside and moist under the skin. I loved the idea of semolina added to the potato coating (very Nigella Lawson, isn't it? who among the other celebrity chefs suggested sprinkling the semolina on the parboiled potatoes before roasting them for that perfect crispiness).
All in all, it is a very decent mix. Would I use it again? Yes. I might add a bit more rosemary to the potatoes, as I really love the flavour of rosemary, but that is my personal taste.

This post is an entry for BritMums "What's for Dinner Tonight" (link removed as expired) sponsored by Schwartz.
Find out more about the new 2in1 mixes here.