This is one of those all-important classic recipes, as roast chicken is so tasty and so versatile. You can have it with a lovely colourful salad, as part of a buffet, in some crusty rolls for your pack-up, or even as the main on an oriental or Indian dish. I would however suggest you use this recipe for a great Sunday roast dinner. Whack on some crispy roast spuds, some stick honey parsnips snips, creamy bread sauce, tasty sage stuffing and fresh greens and there is nothing more satisfying in the World! I come from a family that love roast chicken so much we even have it on Christmas day instead of turkey (along with sausages and bacon and all the other usual trimmings). I also have the perfect boyfriend to share roast chicken with, as I love the breast meat but he is a leg man. It’s great; it even saves time on some carving as he’ll just have the whole leg on his plate.
- 1.5 kilo chicken
- 1 carrot – roughly chopped
- 1 leek – roughly chopped
- 1 large red onion – chopped into quarters
- 1 glove garlic
- 1 lemon – halved
- 1 glass sherry
- 1 sherry glass water
- Bunch thyme
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Oven to 200’C
Place the carrots, leeks, onion and half the garlic glove on the bottom on a roasting dish
Pour over the sherry and the water
Peel the lemon rind with a veg peeler and put half of that in the roasting tray.
Sit the chicken on top of the veg and then stuff the inside carcass of the chicken with the rest of the garlic and 2/3 of the thyme.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and then put the rest of the lemon inside the chicken
Rub the salt and pepper into the chicken skin, drizzle with olive oil and rub again.
Place the lemon rind on top of the skin, along with the rest of the thyme and cover with foil.
Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour
Remove, the foil, baste the chicken with the juices and put back in the oven (uncovered) for another 25-30 minutes, basting again half way though
Leave to rest for 10 minutes and carve.
What a beautiful bird!
That looks wonderful and sounds fabulous!
that looks amazing. I love when roast chickens get really crispy skin… that’s the best part!
Yum! I love roast chicken! Yours looks amazing
Wow, I want it on my Thanksgiving table!
Yum! Looking good!
I must make this!
This looks wonderful. I love the lemon addition. I might have to try this over Thanksgiving.
Gorgeous!
Your chicken is roasted perfectly. You’re right — honey parsnips would be a great side dish with this.
I love this time of year when firing up the stove is something to look forward to and the smell of a chicken roasting is heaven.
Hmmm yummy….my all-time favourites …chicken(and salmon)
Yum, I LOVE roast chicken – it’s the simplest, most delicious, comforting meal. The flavour combo of lemon, garlic and thyme sounds amazing!
What a wonderful flavor profile on this roasted chicken. Looks fabulous, too.
Love the citrus and herb glaze for this chicken. Great idea!