Roast Chicken

This whole chicken is roasted until the skin is golden and crunchy while the meat stays juicy and tender. A garlic, herb, and lemon butter mixture melts into the bird as it cooks, filling the pan with savory juices that double as the sauce. Perfect for Sunday dinner or any special occasion, it’s simple yet impressive and pairs beautifully with sides like roasted potatoes or a crisp salad.

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring the chicken out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so it’s not icy cold.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 220°C / 450°F (200°C / 430°F fan). Set the rack in the middle.

3. 3

   Mix melted butter with garlic, sage, rosemary, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir in the juice from 2 lemon wedges.

4. 4

   Place chicken in a roasting pan. Gently slide a spoon under the skin of the breast and drumsticks to loosen it.

5. 5

   Spoon most of the herb butter under the loosened skin, saving a little for the outside. Rub remaining butter all over the skin and squeeze the other 2 lemon wedges over the chicken.

6. 6

   Stuff the used lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs inside the cavity. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under.

7. 7

   Season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter onion and halved garlic bulb in the pan, then set chicken on top. Pour wine around it and drizzle chicken lightly with olive oil.

8. 8

   Roast for 10 minutes, then lower oven to 180°C / 350°F. Continue roasting for about 1 hour 15 minutes, basting twice, until internal temperature reaches 75°C / 165°F or juices run clear.

9. 9

   Rest chicken for 15 minutes uncovered so the skin stays crisp. Serve carved with the pan juices spooned over.

Recipe Notes

• Fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, and parsley bring the butter to life. If needed, swap with dried herbs: 2 tsp if using stronger ones like thyme or oregano, 3 tsp for milder ones like dill or parsley.

• Placing onion and garlic beneath the bird not only lifts it from the liquid but also perfumes the pan juices. The onion tends to turn mushy and oily, so I usually discard it, though the garlic cloves become sweet and spreadable.

• Push most of the garlic-herb butter under the skin rather than on top, since garlic burns easily on the surface. This way the flavour infuses the meat instead of charring outside.

• For gravy, melt 50 g butter in a pan, whisk in 3 tbsp flour, then gradually stir in 2 cups of pan drippings topped with broth. Cook until thickened, seasoning with salt and pepper.

• Cooking times: Start with 10 minutes at 220°C, then allow 20 minutes per 500 g at 180°C until fully cooked. If your bird is fridge-cold, tack on an extra 10 minutes.

• Tie drumsticks together using kitchen string. It’s easiest to loop around one, then pull the other closer before tying them snugly together.

• Save the carcass and leftover bits to make broth. Simmer with water, stock powder, herbs, and vegetables for about an hour, then strain. Use it as a base for soups like chicken noodle.

• Side ideas: crispy roast potatoes, creamy mash, cauliflower puree, or garlic bread. Cheesy gratin or baked potatoes also work well. Pair with fresh salads like kale quinoa or corn avocado salad.

• Nutrition is calculated assuming 1.2 kg of meat eaten (bones removed). Pan juices contribute to the calories, though in practice some liquid is left behind.