How to make…Roast chicken

If you are anything like me, there is probably one meal that you fear making: the traditional Sunday roast dinner for your family or even worse, guests. It feels daunting since this most auspicious of family meals is usually reserved for the best cook in the house.

Growing up in the Parker family, that was definitely my Mum. And, she has Sunday dinner down to such a science that she prefers to be left alone in the kitchen to get on with making it without help from anyone.

And Sandy was not much better, although she would get me to help with peeling and chopping at least. So, while I was used to making pasta, pizza, stir fry’s, chips, jacket potatoes, etc., I’d never been trusted to make a roast dinner.

At 40-something years old, and having been married over 20 of those years, I had never made a roast chicken until relatively recently. I was watching a cooking show on TV by British chef, Jamie Oliver. One of his shows inspired me to have a go at making a roast dinner using a method similar to what he showed. Usually many of his meals are a little over the top with chilli peppers and everything hot and spicy, but this was “just” a traditional roast chicken and finally the ingredients all made sense and the process seemed simple enough.

There are a few things that put me off from doing a roast: Will I cook it long enough? Could I accidentally make someone sick? Will I cook it too long and potentially make it dry? In these cases, it could be an inedible disaster; not a waste or experience I wanted. And of course, then there is the hassle of the clean up… too much washing up to do afterwards is a real turn-off and stops us from trying many a culinary treat.

The way I make this roast chicken is very simple and very delicious, and I’m happy to show you just how easy it is. The great things are that you only need one roasting tray to do both the chicken and the veg and one oven shelf or separate wire grate. No extra pans or steamers; just one tray to wash up afterwards, so less time in the kitchen and more time entertaining or simply relaxing.

And as for my other concerns, this recipe has a resolution for those, too. So no more excuses. If I can manage to confidently tackle the Sunday roast dinner, I promise you that you can, too.

Ingredients

1	whole	fresh / defrosted chicken	Bones in. Mine is 1.3 kilos; adjust cooking time according to bird weight.
4	raw	sausages	I use Cumberland sausages, but any will do.
2-3		sweet potatoes
2	large	leaks	Or three medium red onions
2	large	carrots
6		potatoes	Approximately 1-1.5 kilos
3	Tbsp	oil	Vegetable or olive oil
		salt
		ground black pepper
		mixed herbs

Roasting time rule of thumb:

20 minutes per 500g (½ kg / 1 pound) plus 20 minutes.

Preparation

1. Peel the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Then take the leek and peel the outer layer off, top and tail it and clean out any soil that might be hiding away.
2. Slice everything into 1-inch-thick pieces and put into the roasting tray.
3. Shake in a generous amount of black pepper, a little salt and mixed herbs, then pour in 2 tablespoons of oil and with your hands rub the oil through the vegetables.
4. Next, slide your knife down the length of the sausages and remove the casing to reveal the sausage meat. Then get your chicken and create a cavity between the breast and the skin and fill each cavity with half of the sausage meat and cover as much of the breast as you can. You can discard the casings, you won’t need these.
5. Rub the chicken all over with the pepper, salt, mixed herbs and 1 tablespoon of oil.
6. Put a wire rack over the roasting tray and place the chicken on top of it, then put it into the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. If you are using a larger chicken change your timing. In total you should be looking at 20 minutes per 500g (half kg) plus 20 minutes.
7. Remove the baking tray and with a meat thermometer check that the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 75C / 165F and that the juices run out clear.
8. Turn off the oven and put the tray of vegetables back in to stay warm while you prep the rest of the meal and carve the chicken. You’ll find it easier if you remove the legs and wings first.
9. Take out the vegetables and plate up.
10. You can use your choice of gravy or other condiments. I tend to use chicken gravy granules purely for speed. I make my gravy while the chicken rests for a few minutes before I carve it.
11. If you like, you could add other vegetables such cabbage and broccoli, for example. However if you try something soft like asparagus, make sure to add it to the tray just for the last 10 minutes, otherwise they will become mushy.
12. And then you’re ready to plate up. You can easily make this into 4 or 5 servings without being skimpy or have a meal for 2 and make a chicken pie with the leftovers the next day.
13. Now this one tray is all you cooked with, add some water to it before you sit down to eat and it will easily wash up by hand with a little hot soapy water after dinner.

Watch us make it

Check out my YouTube video by clicking the image below to see how I made my roast chicken this past weekend. And don’t forget to like, and subscribe to our channel while you’re there.

What about you?

Do you have a special way of preparing your family’s roast chicken on Sunday afternoons, or are you similarly not trusted in the kitchen for the important meals? We think you’ll love this easy method and have included a “cheat sheet” recipe card that you can download from the link below. Get practicing and show your mum, or wife, or the whole family that you are capable of making the roast, too.

With Mothering Sunday just a few weeks away, now is the perfect time to get planning and practicing!

And, if you have hints or tips that we should try when making our next roast chicken, share your experience with us using #chicken and tagging @parkerlings on your social media. If you have any questions, just ask, using the form below.

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