Roast chicken is a classic dish that looks and tastes awesome and is ideal for a festive Christmas lunch. If done right, the chicken should have a golden and crispy skin with juicy and flavourful meat inside. By following these simple guidelines from Chef Chathurika, you too can turn out the most delicious roast chicken.
Select the perfect bird
The breast of the bird should be plump, skin unbroken with no cuts.
Pat it dry
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Make sure to absorb any liquid behind the wings or legs. Blot inside the body cavity too, getting it dry as you can, inside and out.
Marination
Rub olive oil or butter all over the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Another easy marinade is diluting a Knorr cube in melted Astra with mashed ginger and garlic.
The Golden look
In addition to the butter, to get the elusive golden hue to your roast, add chilli and turmeric/ sugar or soy sauce when marinating.
For added flavour
If desired, stuff the inside of the chicken with halved lemons, whole cloves of garlic, or herbs (Sage, thyme, bay leaf etc.). This adds subtle flavor to the chicken.
Stuffing (optional)
Lightly cook spinach, mushroom, cashew, plums with some onions and herbs and mix in some breadcrumbs. Season and add butter and pack the stuffing into the body cavity and fold over any loose skin to close. Secure with a cocktail stick.
Cooking process
- Preheat oven to 180oC
- Place the chicken, breast-side up, in the pan.
- The chicken is done when the wings and legs wiggle loosely, and the juices run clear. Total roasting time will be approximately 1 hour. If any pinkness remains, cook the bird for a further 10-15 mins.
- Once finished cooking, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Whisk some flour into the pan juices to make gravy.
Tips
- You can change the flavor of the chicken by adding a spice rub along with the salt and pepper.
- You can also make a heartier meal by roasting the chicken on top of a bed of potatoes, onions, carrots or other veggies.