Simple Roast Chicken

Is it cheating to use the same photo for two posts?  I feel like I’m breaking a rule.  It’s just that I hadn’t intended on blogging about my roast chicken and therefore only took one photo.

Have now decided that since it’s one of my very favourite meals and since this method for cooking a bird has never failed me, I’d very much like to share it. 

The following method produces crispy skin, moist meat and a rich, fuss-free gravy. 

Simple Roast Chicken

(Serves four or two with lots of leftovers for tomorrow’s risotto/soup/etc)

1 free-range chicken (1.8-2 kg) 

Salt and pepper

30g butter, at room temperature

Handful of thyme

1 Lemon

2 garlic cloves, skin left on and squashed

1 glass white wine

1 glass water (plus extra to top up)

100ml stock

• Preheat oven to 190oC. 
• Place the chicken in a roasting tin and season inside and out with salt and pepper.  Massage into the skin well.
• Rub the butter all over the chicken.
• Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the top then place the squashed lemon halves plus the garlic plus most of the thyme into the cavity of the bird.
• Sprinkle the remaining thyme around the bird and pour the wine and water into the roasting tin.
• Roast for 1hr 30 mins, topping up the liquid if it evaporates too much (you want the bottom of the tin to contantly be covered in approximately 1cm of gravy.
• Remove chicken from the oven (testing to see if the bird is cooked through).  Drain the juices out of the cavity back into the roasting tin then place the bird on a big plate to rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place roasting tin on top of the stove.  Pout the stock into the tin and bring to a boil.  Reduce slightly whilst stirring to incorporate all the tasty sticky bits at the bottom of the pan. 
• Ta da!  Gravy.  Serve with the carved chicken.  🙂

PS Excuse my brevity.  Another busy week.

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