Roast Chicken with Lemony Chicken Gravy
 
Roast Chicken with Lemony Chicken Gravy
 

Roast Chicken with Lemony Chicken Gravy

2hrs 30mins
medium
Servings: 4

Top tip... You don't need to brine your chicken overnight, but it will help it to stay juicy on the inside and get extra crispy skin on the outside. It only takes a few minutes to do, but we promise it's well worth the extra step for your best-ever roast chicken. Do give it a go!

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Maldon sea salt
  • 3 sprigs of thyme, finely chopped
  • 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped
  • 2kg whole free-range chicken
  • 5 banana shallots, halved
  • 3 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 3 sticks celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 heaped tbsp plain flour
  • 150ml white wine
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leave
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 tbsp baby capers
  • 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Organic Free-range Chicken Fat
  • 2 pouches Organic Free-range Chicken Bone Broth
Free-Range Organic Chicken Bone Broth
£6.15
£6.15

Instructions

  1. If you have time to do a quick salt brine, give it a try! Trust us, it really does help with keeping the chicken juicy and the skin crispy. The night before you want to cook your chicken, add the brine ingredients to a bowl and mix well and crush with your fingers
  2. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt over both sides and rub into all the crevices. Place this into the fridge uncovered overnight (but anywhere between 12 – 24 hours will also work)
  3. Take the chicken out an hour before you want to roast it, in order for it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 220C Fan
  4. Place the lemon, shallots, carrots, celery and garlic into a large roasting tray. Season with salt and pepper, then place a wire rack over the vegetables
  5. Remove the remaining brine off the chicken and discard. Using a paper towel, pat the chicken dry and place on top of the rack. Rub the chicken fat on both sides of the chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper
  6. Place the roasting tin into the oven for 20 minutes. Afterwards, reduce the oven temperature to 180c fan. Remove the chicken from the oven and rotate the roasting tray, placing it back into the oven for a further 25 minutes
  7. Take the chicken out the oven and lift the chicken so the juices from the cavity pour out into the tray. Check the edges of the roasting tray and if it is beginning to burn in places, add a little water to the tray. Place back into the oven for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked
  8. Take the roasting tin out of the oven, removing the wire rack and the chicken, leaving it to rest while you get on with the gravy
  9. Place the roasting tray with the roasted veg and juices from the chicken onto a medium heat on the stove. Add the flour and stir it in well using a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape the base of the roasting tin. Next mix in the wine, the chicken bone broth, herbs and lemon zest, simmering very gently for 15 minutes or until the gravy has thickened
  10. Pass the gravy through a fine sieve over a saucepan, making sure to press down on the vegetables with a ladle or a spoon to squeeze as much flavour out as possible
  11. Pour in any resting juices from the chicken, the capers and fresh herbs and pour over your the carved roast chicken