There’s nothing quite like a classic roast chicken served with homemade gravy, potatoes and roast vegetables for special occasions or a hearty family Sunday dinner idea.
Traditional roast chicken with delicious stuffing and buttery, tender flesh is a wonderfully economical dinner that never goes out of style. It is ideal for a weeknight, weekend and works beautifully in your special occasion menu as well.
Leftover roast chicken can be enjoyed in sandwiches or a roast chicken pasta the next day.
To create the perfect roast chicken you want to invest in the perfect dish. Buy a heavy, flameproof baking dish, as it will give the best colour and flavour to the pan juices – important for a good gravy. Flameproof means it can go on the stovetop and under the grill as well as in the oven. A few that will do the job include;
Having the right equipment will help ensure you get the best results. Get yourself a Furi Pro Carving Set 2 Piece, designed to hold with precision and glide through your chicken for smooth, even slices.
Ingredients
Classic chicken roast
Gravy
Method
1.Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Combine butter and garlic in a small bowl; season.
2.Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry inside and out with paper towel. Starting from neck end of breast, carefully separate skin from flesh of chicken without tearing the skin. Using your fingers, spread garlic butter evenly under skin to cover chicken breasts. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
3.Toss vegetables and oil in a flameproof roasting pan; season. Push vegetables to outer sides of pan; place chicken in the centre, breast-side down (see recipe tips). Roast 20 minutes.
4.Turn chicken breast-side up, turn vegetables, baste both with pan juices. Roast for 40 minutes, basting during cooking.
5.To test if chicken is cooked, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juices run clear, it’s cooked, if they’re a little pink, return to oven for 5-10 minutes, then test again. Transfer chicken and vegetables to a platter; cover with foil.
6.Make gravy: Pour pan juices from baking dish into a small jug. Discard fat from surface of pan juices; reserve juices. Sprinkle flour into same baking dish; cook, stirring, over heat until well browned. Gradually add reserved pan juices and stock, stirring with a wire whisk until gravy boils and thickens. Strain gravy into a serving jug.
7.Serve chicken with vegetables and gravy.
Starting the chicken roast breast-down is part of a French technique that allows the juices from the roast to trickle into the leaner breast meat. Part way through roasting, the bird is flipped breast-up to create a delicious crisp brown skin.
Note
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