Classic roast chicken & gravy

Classic roast chicken & gravy

What more can we say? The classic roast chicken is something everyone should know and can always save the day

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 30 mins

Plus resting

Method

  1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Have a shelf ready in the middle of the oven without any shelves above it. Scatter the vegetables over the base of a roasting tin that fits the chicken, but doesn't swamp it. Season the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, then stuff with the lemon halves and thyme, if using. Sit the chicken on the vegetables, smother the breast and legs all over with the 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. 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.
  2. While the chicken is resting, make the gravy. Place the roasting tin over a low flame, then stir in the flour and sizzle until you have a light brown, sandy paste. Gradually pour in the 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.
Try

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.

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.

Per serving

567 kcalories, protein 49.0g, carbohydrate 4.0g, fat 40.0 g, saturated fat 13.0g, fibre 0.0g, sugar 1.0g, salt 0.84 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 41-60

  • Binder photo Cherry Darling

    28 June 2011

    Cherry Darling rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very tasty and easy to make with very useful tips.

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  • Binder photo Jenny-Wren

    06 July 2011

    Jenny-Wren commented on this recipe

    I love this website and literally have a look at it every day - all the recipes work great but i just had to comment on this one... PERFECT!!! I've never roast a chicken before but i go through at least one rotisserie chicken from the supermarkets every week, so decided to have a go myself... It was brilliant! My chicken was 1.9kg so i just left it for 10mins longer - also it doesn't say how much butter to use but i just melted an amount i thought would coat the chicken nicely and it came out wonderful! Also i poured a little honey over the veg before putting the chicken on top...this was an absolute revelation!! I have never tasted anything like it - it was like sticky, gorgeous nectar - 10/10!

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  • Binder photo Richie

    25 July 2011

    Richie commented on this recipe

    Really nice and easy to do , great for first time gravy makers.

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  • Binder photo Bowdenei

    07 September 2011

    Bowdenei commented on this recipe

    Am making this now BUT it doesnt say how much butter to use or even mention butter in the ingredients!!!!

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  • Binder photo KiwiBird

    11 September 2011

    KiwiBird commented on this recipe

    Just enough butter to moisten the bird Bowdenei - It should be soft enough to run over the breast, legs etc. You can also drizzle and rub olive oil over it (plus salt and pepper) if you prefer.

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  • Binder photo A.B

    27 September 2011

    A.B rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great first time ever done a roast dinner. Turned out perfect. Used olive oil instead of butter and covered with tinfoil for the first hour as it was a 2kg bird. Beautiful :-)

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  • Binder photo Auntie_Scarah

    09 October 2011

    Auntie_Scarah commented on this recipe

    Hi I really want to try this but do I have to cover the chicken or do I leave it uncovered for the whole cooking time?

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  • Binder photo colandrina

    06 November 2011

    colandrina rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    really easy, really good :))

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  • Binder photo colandrina

    06 November 2011

    colandrina commented on this recipe

    I left it uncovered, by the way

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  • Binder photo Lucy

    05 December 2011

    Lucy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was so easy and the end result was delicious. Moist and tasty chicken with a fab gravy. I even used the chicken bones to make stock afterwards so am feeling very domesticated!

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  • Binder photo ZZELLA

    10 December 2011

    ZZELLA rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Worked like a charm..

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  • Binder photo gemma

    18 December 2011

    gemma rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Chan

    06 January 2012

    Chan rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Have made this time & time again, it's divine. I use olive oil instead of butter & leave the bird uncovered, couldn't be more simple (or tasty!) There's always a demand for more gravy so I double the amount of flour & stock. The lemon adds wonderful flavour

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  • Binder photo jen

    24 January 2012

    jen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great recipe - always produces a great chicken. Great inspiration for my weekly challenge to cook a different roast chicken. www.crumpetsandcrochet.com

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  • Binder photo AmyChicky

    15 February 2012

    AmyChicky rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Sauvignontank

    23 February 2012

    Sauvignontank commented on this recipe

    Always do my chicken like this, I also add garlic with the carrots and onions, I use the ends of the carrots I'm using for with the roast then I may it all up with the flour and add cider and stock, makes the best gravy.

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  • Binder photo Tara

    07 April 2012

    Tara rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfection!

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  • Binder photo spookie

    12 April 2012

    spookie commented on this recipe

    EXCELLENT RESULTS FOR COOKING THE CHICKEN. DID NOT EAT THE VEG AS THEY LOOKED A BIT TOO GREASY FOR MY LIKING. MADE THE GRAVY WITH THE VEG STILL IN TIN AND STRAINED IT BEFORE SERVING,MY SON LOVED IT.I ALSO PUT A FEW CLOVES OF GARLIC INSIDE THE CARCASS AND IT GAVE A REAL DEPTH OF FLAVOUR. WILL TRY IT WITH TARRAGON NEXT TIME.

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  • Binder photo michelleb

    30 April 2012

    michelleb commented on this recipe

    Nice and easy recipe for a roast chicken, though not as moist as expected! The hardest part is seasoning the cavity of the bird. I made the gravy with 100ml dry white wine which I poured into the roasing tin once I'd removed the veg, brought to the boil and simmered off the alcohol for 3 mins and then added the flour and the 300ml of chicken stock. Easy Peasy - lemon squeezy.

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  • Binder photo Kathy

    05 May 2012

    Kathy commented on this recipe

    I tend to roast a chicken breast side down for 2/3 of the cooking time then flip it for the last 1/3. Tender juicy breast that was basking in the juice from the dark meat. I also roast in a HOT cast iron kettle. This recipe was fantastic too, just tried it today.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 30 mins

Plus resting

Ingredients

FOR THE GRAVY

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

567 kcalories, protein 49.0g, carbohydrate 4.0g, fat 40.0 g, saturated fat 13.0g, fibre 0.0g, sugar 1.0g, salt 0.84 g

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