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Easy roast chicken

Published: Jan 29, 2022 · Modified: Feb 25, 2022 by Jacqueline Bellefontaine ·

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carved roast chicken on board.

Easy roast chicken complete with a deliciously rich chicken gravy is the best! Not just because it's easy to make, it won't break the bank and best of all leftovers make for some great quick dinners the following day.

roast chicken on a board with stack of plates in top corner.

Making a roast dinner can seem a bit daunting especially if it is new to you but roast chicken is one of the most homely dinners you can make. If you are new to making roasts dinners this is a great place to start.

Stress free classic roast chicken

Roasting a chicken is pretty straightforward, of course, you can just pop the bird straight into the oven out of its packaging, follow the cooking instructions on the packet, and Bob’s your uncle, the job's done. 

But with a few little extras and very little extra effort, you will be handsomely rewarded with an easy roast chicken that tastes amazing along with its tasty rich homemade gravy.

Actual hands on time is very minimal the rest of the time the oven does the work.

To make this simple roast chicken recipe you will need:

Ingredients:

  • Onion and carrot - This add extra flavour to the gravy after roasting
  • Chicken –  about 1.5kg (2½lbs) cooking time will vary if you use a bigger bird.
  • Lemon 
  • Dried herbs – I usually use mixed herbs but just sage, thyme and oregano are also great with chicken
  • Butter and oil – I like to use a mixture of the butter and olive oil. The butter adds a little extra richness to the gravy but you could use just one or the other and increase the quantity accordingly.
  • Plain flour (US = all purpose flour) –  to thicken the gravy
  • Chicken stock – I use a stock cube dissolved in boiling water.
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
ingredients required to make easy roast chicken

Equipment:

  • A sturdy roasting dish – Ideally one that can go on the hob when it comes to making the gravy..  
  • Sieve
  • Wooden spoon
  • Small saucepan 

Easy roast chicken step by step

Step 1 Preheat the oven. Scatter the carrot and onion slices in the base of a roasting tin.

carrot and onion in roasting tin.

Step 2 Untie the chicken and place it on top of the vegetable Place the lemon in the body of the bird.

placing lemon wedg inside chicken.

Step 3 Sprinkle over the herbs, season then dot the butter over the chicken.

Roast until the internal temperature is 75℃ (165°F) or the juices run clear.

dotting chicken with butter.

Step 4 Remove from the roasting tin and place on board.

Allow the chicken to rest at least 15 minutes before carving.

cooked chicken on board.

Cook’s Tip

Use a roasting dish that the chicken fits in fairly snuggly. Too large and all the juices will evaporate and burn. 

Step 5 Spoon of excess fat then sprinkle the flour into the pan.

flour sprinkled in pan.

Step 6 Place the tin on the hob and cook for a minute or two, stirring.

flour stirred into the juices in the pan.

Step 7 Gradually stir in the stock and cook over a low heat stirring until the gravy thickens.

gravy cooking in pan.

Step 8 Strain the gravy into a pan or serving jug and keep warm. Serve with the chicken.

straining gravy into pan.

 What to do with leftover chicken

First, take all the meat off the bones and use the carcass to make stock 

Use the leftover chicken to make sandwiches. We also love cold chicken with chips or baked potatoes. If you feel inspired to do so use in another recipe such soup, risotto another favourite Monday dinner of ours, or try my chicken and mushroom pie. In fact, I find leftover roast chicken is so useful for a quick meal I have written a whole post on recipes that use or can be adapted to use leftover roast chicken so you need never be stuck for ideas.

What to serve with roast chicken

roast chiken on board being carved.

Roast potatoes are a near must.

Yorkshire pudding may traditionally go with roast beef but my family for one love them with any roast dinner.

Spiced roast parsnips are another good choice plus a green vegetable or two and maybe some carrots.  In the winter I also like braised red cabbage with my roast chicken. 

Sage and onion stuffing is delicious with roast chicken.

In the summer (because let's face it, it's an all year round favourite) then I might serve it with new potatoes instead of the roasties and either lots of salad or some simple steamed green veg. 

Roast chicken doesn't need any other sauces though some people serve redcurrant jelly with it. I'm also partial to a dollop of apple jelly with mine.

We often treat ourselves to a glass of wine with Sunday roasts on special occasions, a Chablis or Sancerre are our favourites.  Otherwise, it tends to be unoaked chardonnay or sauvignon blanc. Or if it is a red, a Valpolicella. 

Tips for serving the perfect roast chicken dinner

  • Most chicken is sold trussed (tied into  shape with an string or elastic band) Untie the chicken before placing in the roasting tin this makes it easier for the hot air to circulate all around the chicken and penetrate the centre of the bird more easily to get more even cooking.
  • The chicken is cooked when you pierce the thickest part of the chicken and the juices run clear. If you have a cooking thermometer, and I highly recommend that you get one as it is the best way of ensuring meat is cooked thoroughly and avoiding under or over cooking. For chicken  it should read above 75℃ (165°F).
  • If you are serving roasties and yorkshire puddings with your roast these require a higher cooking temperature. But don't worry you can get around this. As with all roast meats, chicken should be rested before carving. Cover it with the foil you used during cooking and leave in a warm place for at least 15 minutes but it will happily sit for up to 45 minutes tented in foil which allows you time to turn up the oven to roast the spuds and cook the yorkshires. 
  • If you do not have a roasting dish that can go on the hob. To make the gravy, pour the juices and vegetables into saucepan and continue as before. To make sure you get all the delicious caramelised bits in the roasting dish pour a little stock in the roasting dish and scrape up as much as possible into the stock. 
  • You can spoon out a little of the fat from the roasting tin before you make the gravy, but don't remove  it all you need some fat to enrich the gravy.
roast chicken served with vegetables.

Should I wash the chicken before roasting it?

No, it's not recommended to wash the chicken first. That risks spreading any bacteria in the chicken around your kitchen, as you almost certainly splash water droplets about when washing a raw chicken. 

Any bacteria present in the chicken will be killed during the cooking process, which is why I like to untruss my chicken first. It helps the heat penetrate all the way to the centre of the bird. 

 So as long as the chicken is fully cooked through, so there's no need to wash it first

What if my chicken is a different size?

I find a 1.5kg chicken is perfect for a family of 4 with a small amount of leftovers depending on how big the appetites are. It also suits me when I’m just cooking for Mr B and myself which is more often the case now, I have leftovers for at least one other or maybe even two meals for us both. 

 If your chicken is a little smaller, test for being cooked about 15 minutes earlier than suggested in the recipe, For larger birds calculate the cooking time as follows 

Roast chicken cooking time

Cook for 20 minutes per 500g  (1.1llbs), plus an extra 20 minutes at 180C/350F - or until juices run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken is 75℃ (165°F)

My chicken has giblets what do I do with these?

These days most chickens are sold without giblet (The giblets generally include the neck, heart and liver of the chicken)  but if you buy your chicken from a farm the butchers or a farm shop you may be lucky enough to find  the giblets inside the cavity.  I say lucky because giblets can be used to make a flavoursome stock. 

Always remove the giblets from the cavity of the chicken (especially if they're in a plastic bag) before roasting the chicken.

The neck and heart can be boiled for a few hours to make a stock I usually add a small quartered onion and a sliced carrot too. Don't include the liver though, as this can make the stock bitter. Use the liver to make pate among other things so rather than waste it, pop in the freezer until you have enough.

roast chicken part carved with carving knife and fork.

Easy Roast chicken

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Easy roast chicken complete with a delicious chicken gravy the perfect sunday roast.
Course Dinner,
Cuisine British
Keyword roast dinner, sunday roast
Skill Level Easy
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Resting Time 15 minutes mins
Servings 4
Calories 514
Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine

Equipment

  • roasting tin preferably one that can go on the hob
  • wooden spoon
  • sieve
  • cooking foil

Ingredients

  • 1 onion sliced
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 1 whole chicken about 1.5kg (2½lb)
  • ½ lemon cut into wedges
  • 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
  • 25 g (1oz) butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 500 ml (18floz) chicken stock
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
metric - US cups

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5.
  • Place one sliced onion and 2 sliced carrots in a roasting tin that fits the chicken snuggly and sit your chicken on top of the vegetables.
  • Pop the lemon wedges into the cavity of the bird, then season the chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
  • Smear 25g (1oz) butter over the chicken and drizzle with a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon).
  • Cover the chicken loosely with foil and roast for 1 hr. Then remove the foil and continue to roast for another 20-30 minutes until the skin is golden, and the chicken is cooked through. see notes below.
  • Remove the chicken from the tin and set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile make the gravy. Spoon off any excess fat and sprinkle 2 tablespoon flour over the vegetables in the roasting tin and place on the hob over a low heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Gradually stir in 500ml (18floz) chicken stockand cook stirring constantly until thickened.
  • Strain through a sieve and transfer to a serving jug. Serve along side the chicken.

Notes

Cook's Tips
  • Most chicken is sold trussed (tied into shape with an string or elastic band) Untie the chicken before placing in the roasting tin this makes it easier for the hot air to circulate all around the chicken and penetrate the centre of the bird more easily more even cooking.
  • The chicken is cooked when you pierce the thickest part of the chicken and the juices run clear. If you have a cooking thermometer and I highly recommend that you get one it is the best way of ensuring the meat is cooked thoroughly and avoiding under or overcooking. For chicken, it should read above 75℃ (165°F).
  • If your roasting tin is not suitable for use directly on the hob, transfer the vegetables and all the juices to a saucepan before sprinkling in the flour and continuing as above.

Nutrition

Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
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About Jacqueline Bellefontaine

Jacqueline is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and has been a cookery writer and food stylist for over 25 years. She has written over 15 cookery books, in addition to writing for several major magazines. She likes to champion good basic home cooking and as the daughter of a master baker, she is passionate about home baking.

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Jacqueline Bellefontaine.

Hello I'm Jacqui
I believe that great tasting home cooking need not be hard work, so I like to write and cook recipes that are as easy as they can be. But I won't compromise on taste!

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