Best Classic Roast Chicken Recipes

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN & GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Have a shelf ready in the middle of the oven without any shelves above it.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Gradually pour in 250ml chicken stock, stirring all the time, until you have a thickened sauce.
• Simmer for 2 mins, using a wooden spoon to stir, scraping any sticky bits from the tin.
• 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.

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Remove giblets and neck, if present, from chicken; rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels.
• Place onion and garlic in cavity; squeeze juice from lemon and set aside; add lemon to cavity.
• Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wings under back; brush all over with oil; sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; place, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan; roast, uncovered; in 325F (160C) oven for 1 ½ hours.
• Roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until juices run clear when thigh is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 185F (85C), about 1 ½ hours; transfer chicken to platter and tent with foil; let stand for 10 minutes before carving.
• Skim fat from pan juices; sprinkle flour over juices; cook over medium-high heat, whisking, for 1 minute; gradually pour in chicken stock and reserved lemon juice, whisking until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes; pour into warmed gravy boat.
• Cut string holding legs together; discard onion, lemon and garlic; using kitchen scissors, cut chicken into 2 breast and 2 leg portions; cut each breast in half diagonally; cut through each leg at joint to separate into drumsticks and thighs; serve with gravy.

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN WITH PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Truss chicken: Preheat oven to 450 F, preferably convection. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. (Optional: stuff cavity with a whole lemon to prop up the breast.) Cut about 3 feet of twine, lay it flat on a clean surface, and position chicken breast side up on the middle of the twine. Tie the legs together with a single knot. Flip the chicken over, bring twine down the length of the bird, wrap it under the wings, tighten, and tie off the twine behind the neck; trim excess twine. (The goal of trussing is to make the chicken as compact as possible, preventing hot air from circulating in the cavity and drying out the breasts.)
• Season chicken: Lift the chicken with one hand and generously sprinkle salt over it with the other, rotating the chicken to make sure it's evenly coated; place the salted chicken in a cast-iron skillet. Roast until the juices run clear, about 1 hour. (Note: As the chicken roasts at a high temperature, the fat will naturally smoke. Cleaning your oven before roasting will minimize the smoke.)
• Pan sauce: Transfer chicken to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and let it rest. Meanwhile, put skillet with pan drippings on the stove over medium heat. Peel and thinly slice onion. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off ribbons of carrot until you reach the core; discard the core. Place onions and carrot shavings in the skillet; stir with the wooden spatula, scraping up the browned chicken drippings (or "fond") on the bottom of the skillet. Deglaze the skillet with wine, stir, and allow the liquid to reduce completely, about 3-5 minutes. When it has reduced, add 1 cup of water, stir, and let the liquid reduce again until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, carve the chicken.
• Carve chicken: Cut away the twine and discard. Separate the leg and thigh from the breast by using the knife to pop open the leg joint, making it easier to sever; separate the leg and thigh into two pieces if you wish. Cut off the wings and neck. (Optional: place neck into the skillet while the sauce is reducing for extra flavor.) Run the blade along the breastbone to remove the breasts, leaving skin intact. If you wish, cut the breasts into thick slices. Transfer to a serving platter.
• Optional: Use the carcass to make chicken stock. Place it in an oven-safe pot along with vegetables (such as carrot, celery, and/or onion) and add enough water to cover. Put the pot in a 200 F oven for 6 hours or overnight. Strain the stock and store in a lidded container in the refrigerator or freezer.Once pan sauce has thickened and looks caramel-brown, turn off the heat. Leaving the vegetables in the skillet, spoon the sauce over the chicken; serve immediately.

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
• Remove giblets and neck, if present, from chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry.
• Place onion and garlic in chicken cavity. Squeeze juice from lemon and set aside; add lemon skin to cavity.
• Tuck wings under back of chicken; tie legs together with kitchen string. Brush all over with oil; sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Place, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, in oven for 1 1/2 hours.
• Baste chicken with pan juices. Roast, basting occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours longer or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 185°F (85°C). Transfer chicken to platter and tent with foil; let stand 10 minutes before carving.
• Skim fat from juices in pan. Sprinkle flour over juices; cook over medium-high heat, whisking, for 1 minute. Drizzle in chicken stock and 2 tablespoons (25 mL) reserved lemon juice; cook, whisking, for about 3 minutes or until thickened. Pour into warmed gravy boat.
• Cut string holding legs together; discard onion, lemon and garlic. Using poultry or kitchen shears, cut chicken into 2 breast and 2 leg portions. Cut each breast in half diagonally. Cut through each leg at joint to separate into drumsticks and thigh. Serve with gravy.

CLASSIC CLAY COOKER ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Soak the clay cooker in water for 10 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, Pick the herbs, rinse, and chop. Peel the garlic and leave the cloves whole. Remove the chickens from their wrappers, remove the "innards" and rinse.
• 3. Place the chickens in the cooker. Put the garlic cloves in their cavities, and cover with the minced herbs. Pour the olive oil over the chickens.
• 4. Place the covered clay cooker in a cold oven, and turn the temperature to 425 degrees. Roast for 2.5 hours. You will smell it when it is close to done, but check to see the leg joint is not pink.
• 5. Serve with Rice and a Green.
• 6. You can add fruit (peaches or oranges) or an acid (juice or a vinegar) to change the flavor. Once dinner is done, remove the remaining meat, and put the bones in a stock pot with the liquid left over from cooking. Simmer over night. The next day, drain the stock.
• 7. In a bowl place left over rice, left over chicken, and any other vegetables you have. Ladle broth over it. I usually run out and pick some spicy greens, rinse them and slice them, then put them in the bowl. In about a minute you will have a fantastic soup.

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Discard giblets and neck from chicken. (Save for another use if desired) Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
• 3. Combine butter and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Rub mixture under the loosened skin, over flesh; rub over top of the skin.
• 4. Tie ends of the legs together with cooking string. Lift the wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack; place rack in roasting pan. Place shallots, thyme sprigs, and lemon in cavity of chicken.
• 5. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
• 6. Increase oven temperature to 450° (do not remove chicken); bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of leg registers 165°.
• 7. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin if you are watching your fat intake, eat it if you just can't resist the crispy skin! Carve chicken.