Roast Chicken
Roast chicken is revered as a very special family meal in my childhood memories, to me it is a recipe that tastes of home. Every few weeks, I like to roast an organic chicken with love and care, it helps me feel calm and comfoted. Not only do we enjoy it as a lovely roast lunch, or dinner, but it then becomes the base for 2-3 more meals, in the same week. For example: meal 1 roast chicken, meal 2 leftover roast chicken for sandwiches, salads, shredded into noodles, Meal 3 the bones and carcass are made into a homemade chicken stock, so nothing is wasted.
If you haven't attempted a roast chicken before don't be intimidated, it is 5 mins prep and then it just goes straight into the oven to cook. When you buy chicken look for higher welfare meat always, I also choose organic chicken. I have written out two of my favourite versions below: Lemon and Tarragon Roast Chicken, or Orange, Fennel and Thyme Roast Chicken.
Lemon and Tarragon
ingredients
Serves 4
1 whole organic chicken
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2-3 unwaxed lemons, halved
6 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
15g fresh tarragon
olive oil
black pepper
sea salt
5 carrots, washed, peeled and cut into large chunks
5 parsnips, washed, peeled and cut into large chunks
method
Preheat the oven 180C fan oven. Next prepare the chicken: remove from the fridge, place on a baking tray and bring up to room temperature for 30 mins. Season inside the chicken’s cavity with sea salt and pepper: then add 1 onion, 6 garlic cloves and 1 lemon halvedCreate two pockets, under the chicken’s skin, and push the fresh tarragon into the pockets under the skin and above the meat. Rub the skin of the chicken with olive oil, then season with black pepper and sea salt. Place the rest of the onions and lemon in the bottom of the roasting tray, toss in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the chicken on top, ready for cooking. The rest of the vegetables I add halfway through cooking.
Place in the oven to cook for an initial 35-45 mins. Meanwhile prep the carrots and parsnips, place in a bowl with the remaining lemons (halved): toss in olive oil and season with black pepper. Remove the chicken from the oven, add the root vegetable chunks and lemon halves to the bottom of the tray, then place the chicken on top. Return the chicken and vegetables to the oven, for a further 35-45 mins (this way the vegetables won’t overcook).
Cooking time does depend on the size of the chicken, but for a small-medium chicken I would look to cook for around 1hr 20 mins. To ensure the chicken is cooked pierce the chicken in it’s thickest part (thigh) and ensure the juices run clear. If not return the chicken to the oven for to finish cooking. Rest the chicken, covered, for 20-30 minutes, this allows the meat to relax and the juices to be drawn back into the chicken.
You are now ready to eat, serve alongside the vegetables, with the juice of the roasted lemons. You can strain off the juices and separate in a gravy jug, to remove any fat, then serve with the chicken.
Orange, Fennel and Thyme Roast Chicken
ingredients
Serves 4
1 whole organic chicken
2-3 onions, peeled and halved
3 small oranges, halved
1 whole head of garlic, halved
15g fresh thyme
olive oil
black pepper
sea salt (optional and not for children under 1 years)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered
4 celery stalks, trimmed and halved
Preheat the oven 180-190C fan oven. Prep the chicken: remove from the fridge, place on a baking tray and bring up to room temperature for 30 mins. Meanwhile prep the onion, fennel, celery and oranges. Season inside the chicken’s cavity with sea salt and pepper: then add 1 onion, 1/2 head garlic and 2 orange halves. Create two pockets, under the chicken’s skin, and push the fresh thyme into the pockets (under the skin and above the meat). Rub the skin of the chicken with olive oil, then season with black pepper and sea salt* (*optional, no salt for babies under 1 years).. Place the rest of the onions, celery, fennel, orange halves and 1/2 head garlic in the bottom of the roasting tray, toss in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the chicken on top, ready for cooking. Place the prepped chicken in the oven to cook, for 1 hours 20-30 minutes, or more as needed.
Cooking time does depend on the size of the chicken, but for a small-medium chicken cook for around 1hr 20-30 mins. To ensure the chicken is cooked pierce the chicken in it’s thickest part (thigh) and ensure the juices run clear. If not return the chicken to the oven for to finish cooking. Once cooked, cover the chicken and rest for 20-30 minutes, this allows the meat to relax and the juices to be drawn back into the chicken.
You are now ready to eat, serve the chicken alongside the vegetables, with the juice of the roasted oranges*. I discard the celery as this gives wonderful flavour to the juices but doesn’t taste great itself after cooking for so long! You can strain off the juices and separate in a gravy jug, to remove any fat, then serve with the chicken.