Recipe

Whole roast chicken with pan gravy

The Sunday centerpiece: a salted, air-dried bird roasted hot then gentle for shatteringly crisp skin and juicy meat, with a proper gravy whisked up from the pan drippings.

Whole roast chicken with pan gravy takes about 100 minutes and makes 4 servings. Each serving has 660 kcal.

Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
80 minutes
Total time
100 minutes
Servings
4
Whole roast chicken with pan gravy - finished dish

Nutrition per serving

Calories
660 kcal
Protein
55 g
Carbohydrates
6 g
Fat
45 g

Ingredients

  • Whole chicken1.6 kg
  • Coarse sea salt1 tbsp
  • Butter40 g
  • Lemon1 pc
  • Garlic4 cloves
  • Thyme and rosemary1 pinch
  • All-purpose flour2 tbsp
  • Chicken stock300 ml
  • Salt1 pinch
  • Pepper1 pinch

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 230 °C.

  2. 2

    Pat 1.6 kg whole chicken completely dry, 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt and a pinch of salt it generously all over and inside, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour - overnight if you can.

    Tip: Dry skin is the whole secret to crisp skin - the fridge acts like a gentle fan, wicking away moisture the oven would otherwise waste time steaming off.

  3. 3

    Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting so it loses its chill.

  4. 4

    Stuff the cavity with the halved 1 lemon, 4 cloves of garlic cloves and herbs, tie the legs together and rub the skin with the softened 40 g butter.

  5. 5

    Roast breast-up in a snug pan for 20 minutes at 230 °C, until the skin starts to bronze.

  6. 6

    Lower the oven to 180 °C and roast for another 40 minutes.

  7. 7

    Check doneness: a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) should read 75 °C and the juices should run clear. If not, give it 10 more minutes and test again.

  8. 8

    Move the chicken to a board and rest it, loosely tented with foil, for 15 minutes.

    Tip: Skip the rest and the juices flood the board the moment you carve - 15 minutes lets them settle back into the meat.

  9. 9

    Set the roasting pan over medium heat, spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat, whisk the flour into the drippings and cook for about 90 seconds, stirring constantly.

  10. 10

    Whisk in 300 ml chicken stock in stages, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer for a few minutes, stirring, until the gravy coats a spoon.

  11. 11

    Season the gravy, carve the chicken and serve with the gravy poured over.

Cooking methods

On the stove

The bird roasts in the oven; the gravy is stove work. Keep the roasting pan at a moderate heat so the flour toasts golden, not black, and deglaze while the pan is hot - the browned bits lift off in seconds.

On induction

For the gravy, set the pan on level 5 for the roux and drop to 4 for the simmer. If your roasting pan is not induction-compatible, scrape the drippings into a regular saucepan first.

Over an open fire

Superb on a covered kettle grill or in a large Dutch oven: high embers for the first 20 minutes, then fewer coals for the rest, turning the pot occasionally. Make the gravy in a pan set directly on the embers.

Recipe questions

How long does this recipe take?
Plan for about 100 minutes from start to finish.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 4 servings.
Can I cook this recipe on induction?
Yes. For the gravy, set the pan on level 5 for the roux and drop to 4 for the simmer. If your roasting pan is not induction-compatible, scrape the drippings into a regular saucepan first.
Can I cook this recipe over an open fire?
Yes. Superb on a covered kettle grill or in a large Dutch oven: high embers for the first 20 minutes, then fewer coals for the rest, turning the pot occasionally. Make the gravy in a pan set directly on the embers.

In the app

Cooking the way it should feel

One step on screen, a timer that keeps going, and clear progress until the dish is done.

Step-by-step cooking screen in the First Bite app

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