The ultimate roast chicken
Butter keeps this staple roast chicken moist and flavoursome, served with crispy roast potatoes and vegetables roasted in delicious pan juices.
Per serving: 522kcals, 18.4g fat (7.7g saturated), 12.2g carbs, 3.2g sugars, 74.1g protein, 3g fibre, 0.274g sodium
|
Prep: Cook: |
20 minutes 1 hour 50 minutes |
|
| Difficulty: | Easy | |
| Serves: | 4-6 adults |
| Ingredients |
|---|
| Salt and black pepper |
| 2kg whole chicken |
| 1 halved lemon |
| 1 cut in half crosswise head of garlic |
| 1 large bunch of fresh thyme |
| 60g (at room temperature) butter |
| 1 thickly sliced large onion |
| 4 roughly chopped carrots |
| Olive oil |
| 2 tbsp plain flour |
| To serve: |
| Crispy roast potatoes |
directions
- Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Remove any excess fat from the chicken and pat the outside dry with kitchen paper.
- Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic and half of the thyme. Remove the thyme leaves from the remaining sprigs and set aside.
- Spread half of the butter over the outside of the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
- Place the onions and carrots in a large roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper thyme leaves and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
- Roast for 1½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the roasting tin over a medium-high heat. Mash together the flour and remaining butter, then whisk into the pan juices in the roasting tin. Bring to a simmer until thickened.
- Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve with the gravy, roasted vegetables and roast potatoes.
