Sunday Roast Chicken
Every home cook should know how to roast a chicken properly. Not because it's complicated—it isn't—but because it's the kind of foundational skill that makes you feel competent in the kitchen. You can build a week of meals from one bird: roast it Sunday, make sandwiches Monday, turn the carcass into stock Tuesday.
I learned this method from my grandmother, though she never wrote it down. She'd stuff the cavity with lemon and garlic, work butter under the skin, and let it roast at high heat until the skin shattered like glass. The house would smell so good that neighbours would make excuses to drop by around dinnertime.
The secret is simple: start hot to crisp the skin, then drop the heat to cook it through gently. Let it rest properly before carving—those twenty minutes are non-negotiable. The juices redistribute, the meat stays tender, and you get a proper pan gravy from all the caramelised bits underneath. Serve it with roasted vegetables, a green salad, and bread for mopping. This is the meal that anchors the week.
Ingredients
- 1.8kg whole chicken
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 whole garlic bulb, halved crosswise
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 50g butter, softened
- 800g potatoes, cut into chunks
- 4 carrots, halved lengthwise
- 2 onions, quartered
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 220°C. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towel—moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.
- Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic bulb halves, and thyme sprigs. Truss the legs together with kitchen string if you have it, or just tuck the wing tips under.
- Carefully slide your fingers under the skin of the breast to separate it from the meat, being careful not to tear it. Push the softened butter under the skin and massage it gently to distribute evenly. This keeps the breast meat moist and helps the skin crisp.
- Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper—be heavy-handed, this is a big bird. Place it breast-side up in a large roasting tin.
- Roast at 220°C for 20 minutes to get the skin crackling and golden. Then reduce the heat to 180°C and continue roasting.
- About halfway through the cooking time (around 45 minutes in), add the potatoes, carrots, and onions to the roasting tin around the chicken. Toss them in the chicken fat and season with salt. The total cooking time is roughly 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh and a thermometer reads 75°C.
- Transfer the chicken to a warm platter and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for 20 minutes—this step is crucial. Keep the vegetables warm in the turned-off oven.
- While the chicken rests, make a quick pan gravy: place the roasting tin over medium heat, add a splash of water or white wine, and scrape up all the sticky bits from the bottom. Simmer until slightly thickened. Strain if you like it smooth, or leave it rustic.
- Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted vegetables and pan gravy. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches, and the carcass makes outstanding stock.
Nutrition (per serve)
| Energy | 450 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38g |
| Carbohydrates | 25g |
| Fat | 24g |
