The trouble with a traditional roast chicken (or any whole roasted bird) is that the legs and breast have different cooking times, resulting in either an overcooked breast (if you want tender leg meat) or tough leg meat (if you prefer succulent chicken breast). Our version takes this dilemma into consideration, applying techniques to ensure you get the best of both worlds, as well as a crackling crisp skin and no-waste gravy. You may not be able to bring a whole bird to the table, but you’ll be serving the best roast chicken your guests have ever tasted.
Tips for next level roast chicken & gravy
Dry brining
Salting the chicken in advance ensures it’s seasoned all the way through and also draws moisture to the surface as it chills. This results in succulent meat and crispy skin.
Shake & bake
Baking powder also helps bring excess moisture to the surface – any that doesn’t evaporate in the fridge will do so as it roasts to ensure dry, extra-crispy skin.
Spatchcocking
Removing the backbone and flattening the bird enables an even roast, so you can cook at a higher temperature (see below).
Turn up the heat
A higher temperature means the skin crisps up before the meat overcooks. Because the skin is coated in fat, it basically fries.
On the rack
Cooking the chicken on a wire rack means that heat can circulate around it in the oven, so it’s cooking from underneath as well as above.
Use a thermometer
A digital thermometer helps you be precise. In this recipe, we remove the breast crown at 65C – lower than usual, but totally safe – to ensure juicy meat. As it rests, the residual heat in the outermost parts actually causes the internal temperature to rise slightly, so by the time it’s ready to serve, it will be perfect. The legs need a bit longer, so we roast them until they reach 70C.
Gravy with backbone
Using the roasted backbone to make the gravy creates deeply savoury flavour without the need for extra stock (or roasting a separate carcass).
How to make it
Next level roast chicken & gravy
Serves 6
Prep 20 mins plus at least 24 hrs chilling
Cook 50 mins
More effort
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5-1.8kg)
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 onion, unpeeled, roughly chopped
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, unpeeled, roughly chopped
- 1 small thyme sprig
- 2 garlic cloves, bashed pinch of caster sugar
- 3 tbsp clarified butter, melted, or use sunflower oil
- 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
- 100ml white or red wine (optional)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 400ml hot chicken stock, made using 1 stock cube
Method
1. Up to two days in advance but at least one day ahead, put the chicken on a board, breast-side down, so the backbone is facing you. Cut along both sides of the backbone using kitchen scissors, then remove it, reserving it in the fridge (covered) until needed. Turn the chicken over so it’s breast-side up, and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. Rub the salt evenly all over the the bird – use about 1/ 2 tsbp on each side – then put the chicken on a wire rack set over a roasting tin or baking tray, skin-side up. Sprinkle
over the baking powder, then put in the fridge to chill, uncovered, for at least 24 hrs or up to 48 hrs.
2. Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 1 hr before cooking so it can return to room temperature. Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Cut the chicken backbone into three or four smaller pieces. Lift the rack off the tin and scatter the chopped backbone, the onion, carrots, thyme and garlic into the roasting tin. Scatter over the sugar and drizzle over 1 tbsp of the melted butter, then toss to coat everything. Sit the rack with the chicken directly on top of the veg, then brush the rest of the butter all over the bird. Roast for 30-35 mins, or until the skin is golden and the thickest part of the breast registers 65C on a digital thermometer.
3. Lift the chicken onto a board and carefully carve away the legs, leaving the crown and wings intact. Shake the tray or tin to move the veg around, then sit the rack back on top. Return the legs, skin-side up, to the rack and put in the oven for 10-15 mins more, or until the skin on the chicken legs is super-crisp and the thickest part of the leg registers 70-75C. When ready, put the legs, skin-side up, next to the crown on the board to rest while you make the gravy. (If you have them, you can cut the feet away from the drumsticks and add to the tin, too.)
4. If the tin is flameproof, put it on the hob over a medium heat. If not, scrape everything from the tin into a saucepan, using a wooden spatula to scrape up any sticky bits from the base, and set over a medium heat. Scatter in the flour and cook, stirring continuously until the mixture resembles a sandy paste. Splash in the wine, if using, and soy sauce, and bubble for 4-5 mins until you have a sticky paste. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins until you have a thick, amber-coloured gravy. Pour in any resting juices from the chicken, taste for seasoning, then strain into a gravy jug. Divide the crown in two so you have two leg quarters and two breast and wing quarters. Arrange on a serving platter and grind over a little black pepper, if you like, then serve alongside the the gravy and your choice of sides.
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