Simple Roast Chicken

Simple Roast Chicken is juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Pan leftovers create a superior tasting chicken gravy making this a meal worthy of Sunday Night Suppers!

The Basics

Learning to roast a chicken is one kitchen basic everyone should learn. It’s easier than you think, you really can master this dish in no time at all!

Roasting a chicken can provide both a delicious meal and leftovers. Leftovers offer an assortment of easy meals including Chicken Soup, Chicken Pot Pie, Tacos, Salads and more.

Why roast a chicken

Well first of all, it’s not complicated.

I roasted my first turkey in my early twenties when I lived in a bachelor suite in downtown Vancouver. One of the funniest memories is how small the suite was so dirty dishes ending up in the bath tub. Despite all this I served up a darn good bird.

At least that’s what they told me.

Essential Chicken Gravy

One time is all it takes to really master this bird. No rack for your roasting pan, no problem. Improvise using vegetables making the gravy quite flavourful. As the chicken cooks it releases it’s juices into the pan and flavours the vegetables. The cooked vegetables become the base of an incredibly flavourful chicken gravy.

This technique works so well, I do it all the time.

Lemons and Herbs

Adding lemons to your pan to be roasted imparts a savour lemon flavour to your gravy so if you prefer more of a classic tasting gravy, omit the lemon. A few simple herbs can be added adding even more notes to the gravy.

Our herb of choice is rosemary but thyme or oregano would also be nice.

Ovens and bird sizes will vary so plan accordingly based on one or the other. A four – five pound bird will cook for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

The meat thermometer is your best friend when it comes to cooking poultry or any meat, so be sure to invest in a good one.

PRO TIPS:

• Bring your bird out of the refrigerator one hour before cooking to warm up.
• Completely dry chicken with paper towel.
• Ensure you have a meat thermometer on hand to check internal temperature of chicken.
• The chicken is done when your internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the thigh, the drumsticks and wings wiggle easily and juices run brown.
• Plan for 1- 1.5 hours total roasting time for your chicken.
• We use vegetables to create a rack on the bottom of the pan, no rack required.

What to do with Roast Chicken Leftovers

If all this talk about roast chicken has you wondering what to do with leftovers, here’s a few tried and true to help you get started.

• Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad
• Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Chicken & Bacon Taquitos

Simple Roast Chicken

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Servings: 6

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Wanda Baker

Ingredients

• 1 4-5 lb whole roasting chicken or broiler chicken
• 1 parsnip halved lengthwise
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 carrot halved lengthwise
• 1 onion cut into thick slices + 1/2 onion skin removed
• 1 bulb garlic top cut off and left whole
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 1 lemon halved + 1/2 lemon
• extra virgin Olive oil
• Butchers string about 3-4 feet
• 4 tbsp cold butter
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper
• Chicken stock

Instructions

• Remove chicken from refrigerator one hour before cooking. Set aside.
• In a roasting pan make a rack out of vegetables as shown in one of our photos. Lay down parsnip, celery, carrot, onion, garlic, 2 lemon halves and 2 sprigs rosemary. Add a drizzle of olive oil over top. This is the base (rack) your chicken will sit on top of.
• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Insert 1 sprig rosemary, 1/2 lemon and 1/2 onion in to the cavity of the chicken.
• Truss your chicken: tuck butchers string under legs and tie a knot to secure legs. Bring each piece of the string up along each side between the breasts and the legs then turn chicken over. Bring string around the back securing wings in place and tie into another knot. Cut excess string.
• Gently lift up skin on each breast using the back of a spoon or your finger tips for about 3/4 of the breast. Add equal amount of butter to each side under skin. If you tear some of the skin just pat it back into place.
• Place chicken on top of vegetable rack in roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper.
• At about one hour start checking temperature. Many times my chickens have cooked for one hour and 15 minutes or more depending on size and ovens.
• Remove from oven when temperature reads 165F. Cover with tin foil and set aside for 10 minutes.
• While chicken is resting make your Chicken Pan Gravy.
• Serve chicken with your gravy and favourite sides.

Notes

To make Chicken Pan Gravy. If your roasting pan can go on the top burners of your oven put the roasting pan with the leftover vegetable rack on your burners on medium high heat to get it simmering. Add 2 cups of water, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Mash up all your veggies to extract as much of the flavour as possible while simmering. Stir well to pick up any brown bits on the bottom and mash until it's good and pureed. Make a slurry by whisking together 2 tbsp cornstarch + 1/4 cup chicken stock. Mix in to gravy and one more cup of chicken stock stirring for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and strain your vegetable puree. Pour back into pot to keep warm. When ready to serve pour into a gravy boat.

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2205IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg