The Perfect Roast Chicken

Few things in a British kitchen inspire more quiet confidence than a well-roasted chicken. It is the sort of dish that requires no apology, no elaborate garnish, and no complicated technique, only good ingredients and a little patience. Yet despite its simplicity, a roast chicken done badly is a genuine disappointment : pale skin, dry breast meat, and a roasting tin full of acrid burnt juices. Done properly, it is a revelation. 

The first decision is the bird itself. A free-range or corn-fed chicken will reward you with far superior flavour and a skin that crisps beautifully. Aim for roughly 1.8 to 2kg for four people. Remove it from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking, a cold bird going into a hot oven is the most common cause of uneven cooking. We want a perfect roast chicken remember ?

For the seasoning, keep things simple. Rub the skin generously with softened butter mixed with a little sea salt, cracked black pepper and the zest of a lemon. Stuff the cavity loosely with the halved lemon, a handful of fresh thyme and a whole bulb of garlic split across its equator. This is not so much a stuffing as aromatics to perfume the bird from within.

Roast at 220°C for the first 15 minutes to get the skin going, then reduce to 180°C for the remaining time. The general rule is twenty minutes per 500g, plus an additional 20 minutes in total. The skin should be a deep mahogany, not merely golden. There, a perfectly roasted chicken. 

The single most important step is resting. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate, tent loosely with foil and leave it for at least 15 minutes. The juices, which have been driven to the centre of the meat by the heat, will redistribute throughout. Carve immediately after resting and you will have the breast meat of your dreams. 

Do not waste the juices ! Set the tin over a medium flame, add a generous splash of white wine or dry cider, and scrape up all the caramelised bits. Strain into a warm jug and serve as a thin, flavourful gravy. No thickening required. Go enjoy your perfect roast chicken.