Roast Chicken
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1
Chapter 2 · Roast Chicken
Skill goal
Roast a whole chicken with crisp skin and moist meat, rest it and carve it neatly.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
A roast chicken is the benchmark of home cooking. The method is simple: a dry bird, well salted, in a hot oven, then a proper rest. The rule of thumb is about 20 minutes per 500 g plus 20 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6), so a 1.6 kg bird takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. But time is a guide: the real test is 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh, with juices running clear.
Resting is part of the cooking. A bird rested for 20 minutes under foil carves cleanly and its juices stay in the meat. The roasting tin gives you the base for gravy (see Cooking Skills: Sauces 1, chapter 4 for other gravies), and the carcass goes into the stock pot for Cooking Skills: Soups and Stocks 1, chapter 1. Roast potatoes to go alongside are in Cooking Skills: Potatoes 1, chapter 3.
The method
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting, and pat it very dry.
- Season inside and out with plenty of salt, and put lemon and herbs in the cavity.
- Roast breast-side up at 200°C, basting once or twice with the tin juices if you like.
- Check the thigh with a thermometer: 75°C, with clear juices when you pierce it.
- Rest for 20 minutes under foil on a warm board, then carve.
| Chicken weight | Time at 200°C (approximate) | Serves | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 kg | 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes | 3 | 15 minutes |
| 1.6 kg | 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 | 4 | 20 minutes |
| 2 kg | 1 hour 30 minutes | 5 to 6 | 20 minutes |
| 2.4 kg | 1 hour 45 minutes | 6 to 8 | 25 minutes |
Raw chicken, hot oven, temperature and hot fat
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Resting: resting lets the juices settle, but it is not a safety step: the chicken must already have reached its safe temperature. Rest it on a warm plate, loosely covered with foil, and keep it out of the 'danger zone' for no more than about 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
A simple roast chicken
Nothing but salt, pepper, butter and a lemon. The simplest roast shows you what a good chicken tastes like. Pat the skin dry, salt it well, and let the oven do the work. Look for golden skin and clear juices from the thigh.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1.6 kg whole chicken
- 40 g soft butter
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 tsp flaked sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Pat the chicken very dry. Rub the butter over the skin, season generously with salt and pepper, and put the lemon halves in the cavity.
- Roast breast-side up in a tin for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Check the thickest part of the thigh reads 75°C and the juices run clear. Rest for 20 minutes under foil, then carve.
Raw chicken, hot oven and temperature
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Resting: resting lets the juices settle, but it is not a safety step: the chicken must already have reached its safe temperature. Rest it on a warm plate, loosely covered with foil, and keep it out of the 'danger zone' for no more than about 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Level 2 · Tray
A lemon and herb roast with vegetables
Put the vegetables under the bird and they roast in the chicken juices, which is hard to beat for flavour. Cut the vegetables large so they don't dry out, and add the potatoes after the first 30 minutes.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1.6 kg whole chicken
- 2 onions, quartered
- 3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 parsnips, cut into chunks
- 500 g new potatoes, halved
- 1 lemon, halved
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp flaked sea salt
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Toss the onions, carrots and parsnips with half the oil and salt in a large tin. Pat the chicken dry, season, and put lemon and thyme in the cavity.
- Sit the chicken on the vegetables and roast for 30 minutes, then add the potatoes and roast for 45 to 50 minutes more.
- Check the thigh reads 75°C. Rest the chicken for 20 minutes while the vegetables keep warm, then carve.
Raw chicken, hot oven and heavy tin
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Resting: resting lets the juices settle, but it is not a safety step: the chicken must already have reached its safe temperature. Rest it on a warm plate, loosely covered with foil, and keep it out of the 'danger zone' for no more than about 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Level 2 · Butter
Butter under the skin
A herb butter slid between the skin and the breast keeps the breast moist and flavours the meat directly. Mash the butter with garlic and herbs, loosen the skin with your fingers, and push the butter underneath.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1.6 kg whole chicken
- 60 g soft butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme
- 1 lemon, zest and halves
- 2 tsp flaked sea salt
- Mash the butter with the garlic, herbs, lemon zest and half the salt. Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers and push the butter underneath, smoothing from the outside.
- Season the skin with the rest of the salt, put the lemon halves in the cavity, and roast at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6) for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Check 75°C in the thigh, rest for 20 minutes, and spoon the buttery juices over the carved meat.
Raw chicken, hands and hot oven
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Level 3 · Gravy
Roast chicken with gravy from the tin
After the chicken comes out to rest, the tin holds the best gravy base. Pour off most of the fat, put the tin on the hob, stir in flour and add stock, scraping up the brown bits. Carve while the gravy simmers.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1.6 kg roast chicken (as in recipe 1), resting
- 1 tbsp fat from the roasting tin
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 400 ml chicken stock, unsalted
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- Lift the chicken onto a board to rest. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat from the tin, leaving the brown juices. Put the tin on a medium heat.
- Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then add the stock gradually, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until thick. Strain, season and add the mustard.
- Carve: remove the legs and cut them apart, take the breasts off whole and slice them across. Serve with the gravy.
Hot fat, hot tin and allergens
Hot pan and hot oil: roasting tins and frying pans for browning are very hot and fat spits. Use dry oven gloves, pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.Hot pot and hot steam: a big pan of simmering stock or soup is heavy and scalding. Keep the handle turned in, use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, and keep children and pets out of the kitchen while you move it.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Allergens: contains gluten (flour) and celery; mustard if used.
Experiments
Experiment
Dry or wet skin
Crispness.
- Roast two chicken pieces, one patted dry and one left damp.
Look for: The dry skin crisps and browns; the damp skin steams and stays pale and rubbery.
Experiment
High heat then low, or steady
Texture.
- Roast one bird at 220°C for 20 minutes then 180°C, and another at a steady 200°C.
Look for: The hot start gives a crispier skin but risks drying the breast; the steady heat is easier and just as good.
Experiment
Resting 10 or 30 minutes
Juiciness.
- Carve one bird after 10 minutes' rest and another after 30.
Look for: The 10-minute bird leaks more juice; the 30-minute one is juicier but cooler, so 20 minutes is about right.
Experiment
Trussed or not
Evenness.
- Roast one bird with the legs tied and another untied.
Look for: The tied bird is neater and the breast cooks slower; the untied bird cooks the legs faster and more evenly.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple roast chicken | ||||
| Lemon and herb roast with vegetables | ||||
| Butter under the skin | ||||
| Roast chicken with gravy | ||||
| Dry or wet skin | ||||
| High heat then low, or steady | ||||
| Resting 10 or 30 minutes | ||||
| Trussed or not |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pale, soft skin | Wet skin or cool oven | Pat dry, salt well and roast hot |
| Dry breast | Overcooked | Take out at 75°C in the thigh and rest |
| Pink near the bone | Not cooked | Return to the oven and check again |
| Burnt vegetables | Cut too small | Cut large and add potatoes later |
| Lumpy gravy | Flour added to too much fat | Pour off the fat and whisk in the stock slowly |
| Chicken slides when carving | Not rested | Rest for 20 minutes and use a sharp knife |
Hot oven, leftovers and allergens
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.Leftover chicken: cool cooked chicken quickly (within about 1 to 2 hours), cover and refrigerate, and eat within 2 days. Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Never leave chicken on the table for more than 2 hours. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to about 3 months.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can roast a whole chicken.
- I can tell when it is cooked.
- I can rest and carve a bird.
- I can make gravy from the roasting tin.
- I save the carcass for stock.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1, chapter 3 is Pan-Frying Chicken: a hot pan, dry chicken and not moving it.