another glorious Sunday, another rather glorious roast and for me perhaps the most classic of all Sunday roasts, the humble roast chicken… you may be wondering why i’d bother posting a recipe for roast chicken, surely its as simple as bunging it in a hot oven and letting it do its thing and yes, it really is… but over the years it’s the method that i’ve developed for a perfect roast that i’m going to share with you today…
The Chicken
i’m sure I really don’t need to tell you but come on now and do us all a favour and buy a decent free-range chicken
Prepping and Dressing
just a couple of little things to help improve the crispy-ness of the skin and final finish of the chicken…
… firstly boil the kettle and whilst you’re waiting for it to boil roughly chop some celery, carrots and onions… in my opinion these are the three vegetables that enhance the chicken the best… I used teeny little globe onions today, which caramelised beautifully, really enhancing the final gravy…
… once the kettle is boiled, place the chicken in the sink and carefully pour the boiling water over the chicken, it does something to the skin… not sure what but it works every time.
…pop the chick into the roasting pan, letting it sit, breast side up, on top of some of the chopped veg… place some of the onion into the middle of the chicken along with some rosemary…
…next, gently work your fingers between the skin and the breast, slathering plenty of butter in there as you go, I also place an un-peeled garlic clove in there too…
… today I have also added some roughly chopped new potatoes to the dish and thrown in a whole garlic’s worth of garlic cloves… plenty of salt and pepper too
Roasting
I used to whack the heat up and just roast the bugger out of it but after doing Gwyneth’s 10 Hour Roast Chicken and knowing how amazingly well that came out I thought a quicker version could work well…
… heat the oven to about 160c and roast the chicken breast side up for 40 mins, then carefully turn the chicken over, pour on a little water if it’s looking dry and roast again for another 40 minutes…
… now turn up the heat to 190 or even 200, turn the chicken back onto it’s back and roast for another 10 minutes or until gloriously golden and crispy…
Eating
… drain the gravy off and then let the chicken sit for a good 10 minutes before you tear into it, I cover it with a little foil and a tea-towel whilst I steam my veg… I promise you’ll be in roast chicken heaven!
the chicken that keeps on giving…
… if you’re anything like me you’ll have cooked an extra large chicken so that you’ll have glorious left-overs… you may even have roasted two chickens because, let’s face it, the oven is on anyway…
… the left-over possibilities are endless and I wont bore you with them now but I insist you keep some of the wonderful chicken juices and carcass to make a soup… I use the chicken juices to saute an onion, then add the carcass, vegetable stock, another roughy chopped carrot and a teaspoon full of whole black peppercorns and simmer it for 30 mins or so for an intensely chicken soup…
eat and of course, enjoy!
I am so inspired by this, Dom. I've been so in the habit of braising that I've forgotten that one can roast.
your tatties look like pure gold
So yummy! Been ages since I had a good roast chicken. And those potatoes look lush (stomach rumbling!)
You cannot beat a simple good roast chicken and yours looks amazing…..my favourite Sunday roast….LOVE all the vegetables with it too,all golden and crispy.
Karen
All round to yours then….Looks fab. Thanks for the tips, I never tried the boiling water treatment before but will next time. Are you sure it needs as long as that to cook, seems an awful long time to me even at 160C?
man…i am home alone this weekend and bored out of my mind…this would put me to rights! 🙂
Roast chicken always makes the world seem a much better place. Yep, I am looking at those potatoes they look glorious.
Looks just great to me. Years ago someone did explain to me precisely what happens when you put boiling water on chicken and duck skin but sadly I think I must have dropped off halfway through because I can't remember a damn thing about it now.
Loved your tips for roast chicken Dom, I used to stuff chicken with lemons, fill up with herbs, cover with bacon, rub all sorts of different spices into it… but nowadays I keep it pretty simple! I also chuck loads of garlic into the roasting tin – works so well with chicken. Great post and really useful, Thank you!
This looks great. I think it's definitely worth posting about a roast chicken, humble it may be but it is also glorious. I like your method of roasting, I'll have to give it a try.
Am intrigued with all these roast chickens your producing these days. Do you and the Viking sit down to separate meals?
@choclette Ah well. I cook the chicken which gives me about 4 meals and The Viking eats the steamed veg (with roast potatoes which I cook separately). I tend to do a lot of double meals for him and me. So veggie versions of stuff. But mostly I cook veggie and then eat the chicken I've cooked on one night for a few nights with whatever I've cooked veggie. If that makes any sense.
Looks like the perfect roast chicken! I'll have to invite myself round 🙂
ok here in Japan is not even 9 am yet and now I'm starving!!!!! you can't do this to me Dom!!!!!!!!
Thanks for your tips!!!!! I will defo try to pur boiling water into the chick next time!!!! I'm so curious!!!!
Hey stay tuned in the next few days(if not tomorrow) we will be publishing the english version of the magazine.
There is a contest for Xmas so get started to try new recipe and be the first international blogger to take part and be on the magazine!!!! I'll let you know more details soon!!!
Going to try the water trick next bird through the door … sounds most intriguing! I'm always up for an improved roasted bird!
I agree with Karen can't beat a lovely roast chook!
You chicken skin looks so crispy and brown. Wonderful recipe. I grew up having a roast chicken dinner after 12:00 mass every Sunday, so I'm a huge fan of roast chicken on a Sunday.
Have neer heard of the water trick before – will give it a go. I love making the most of a chicken. It used to do us about 6 meals but now we are four, usually only 3 meals. But, fantastic ones!
Beautiful. I think the Sunday Dinner with capitol letters is a tradition worth reviving.
I'm back looking at this chicken for the third time. I must, must, must try your technique.
If you have a moment, visit http://jensfoodjourney.blogspot.com
for her review of my new book.
O.M.G!! I would die for a decent roast chook right about now. Love them. That skin looks far too tasty.
Roast chicken is perhaps my all-time favourite meal (or pork belly). This looks gorgeous Dom.
Having just eaten this very dish myself this evening, I can say I wouldn't do anything differently to you. The boiling water trick is amazing, I too have no idea how it works but it does!
My favourite bit is the crispy skin and the wings covered in a very unhealthy topping of Maldon salt!
I adore roasted chicken.. and it does just scream Sunday dinner 🙂
Thanks for the comments on the new design…I thought that might be the response I know I get annoyed when people change their layout suddenly. I'll play around with some more templates when I have time.
I really appreciate the comments
Debx
Dom sorry to bother you…I just wanted to let you know that I just published the English version of Open Kitchen….you can browse it, read it and download it from here…. http://issuu.com/open_kitchen/docs/ok_n.1_ottobre2011_401-142/1
I'm waiting for your comments….and I do apologize if the English is not so good…not an easy task to translate all that…. Please give some feed backs….
I'm going to try the boiling water tip. It looks so good Dom!
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