Classic roast chicken & gravy

• Preparation and cooking time

  • Prep:10 mins
  • Cook:1 hr and 30 mins
  • Plus resting
• Easy
• Serves 4

What more can we say? A classic roast chicken recipe should be in everyone's repertoire, and it can always save the day

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Nutrition: per serving

Highlight	Nutrient	Unit
	kcal	567
	fat	40g
	saturates	13g
	carbs	4g
	sugars	1g
	fibre	0g
	protein	49g
low in	salt	0.84g

Ingredients

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 free range chicken, about 1.5kg/3lb 5oz
• 1 lemon, halved
• small bunch thyme (optional)
• 25g butter, softened

For the gravy

• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml chicken stock (a cube is fine)

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Have a shelf ready in the middle of the oven without any shelves above it.

• STEP 2

  Scatter 1 roughly chopped onion and 2 roughly chopped carrots over the base of a roasting tin that fits the whole 1 ½ kg chicken, but doesn’t swamp it.

• STEP 3

  Season the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, then stuff with 2 lemon halves and a small bunch of thyme, if using.

• STEP 4

  Sit the chicken on the vegetables, smother the breast and legs all over with 25g softened butter, then season the outside with salt and pepper.

• STEP 5

  Place in the oven and leave, undisturbed, for 1 hr 20 mins – this will give you a perfectly roasted chicken. To check, pierce the thigh with a skewer and the juices should run clear.

• STEP 6

  Carefully remove the tin from the oven and, using a pair of tongs, lift the chicken to a dish or board to rest for 15-20 mins. As you lift the dish, let any juices from the chicken pour out of the cavity into the roasting tin.

• STEP 7

  While the chicken is resting, make the gravy. Place the roasting tin over a low flame, then stir in 1 tbsp flour and sizzle until you have a light brown, sandy paste.

• STEP 8

  Gradually pour in 250ml chicken stock, stirring all the time, until you have a thickened sauce.

• STEP 9

  Simmer for 2 mins, using a wooden spoon to stir, scraping any sticky bits from the tin.

• STEP 10

  Strain the gravy into a small saucepan, then simmer and season to taste. When you carve the bird, add any extra juices to the gravy.

RECIPE TIPS

OTHER RULES

Always leave your chicken to rest for at least 15 mins before carving. This will give you a juicy chicken that is a lot easier to carve. For a more succulent chicken, take it out of the fridge one hour before cooking to bring it up to room temperature. This rule applies to any meat you are roasting. Don't worry about turning or basting your chicken as it roasts. Yes, these can give good results, but are fiddly for the beginner, plus every time you open the oven you lose heat.

THE GOLDEN RULE TO ROAST CHICKEN…

A 1.5kg chicken will be perfectly roasted after 1 hr 20 mins at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. It doesn’t matter what you stuff into it, rub or sprinkle over it or put around it, this timing never changes. Remember this and you will always be able to roast a chicken.

BARNEY SAYS...

Ever wondered how professional cooks turn out impressive dishes without even referring to a recipe? It’s simply down to basic rules, which have been followed so often that they become second nature, guaranteeing the dish will work every time. You can do the same thing at home – once you’ve learnt the must-dos, cooking becomes easier and you can relax and start to experiment more, knowing the end result will always be delicious. Simply follow the rules and you won’t go wrong.

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