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Sunday roast

Roast Chicken Dinner

A complete Sunday roast built around juicy lemon-thyme chicken, crisp roast potatoes, roasted roots, greens and a proper pan gravy.

MealSunday roastCelebrationGluten-free adaptableDinnerHigh protein
Total time2 hours 15 minutes, plus optional overnight drying
DifficultyConfident
Community ratingNew recipe
Per serving50.3g protein
Representative photograph for Roast Chicken Dinner
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Structure checkedAdaptive recipe data
Serves
6

Scaled live

Ingredients

6 people

Chicken

  • 1whole chicken, 1.8-2kg
  • 2 tspfine salt
  • 1/2 tspblack pepper
  • 40 gsoftened butter
  • 1lemon, halved
  • 6thyme sprigs
  • 1onion, quartered
  • 250 mlchicken stock

Potatoes and vegetables

  • 1.5 kgMaris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm pieces
  • 4 tbspvegetable oil or 70g goose fat
  • 1 tbspfine semolina (optional, for extra crust)
  • 500 gcarrots, peeled and halved lengthways
  • 400 gparsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways
  • 1 tbspolive oil
  • 1 tbsphoney
  • 400 gbroccoli or seasonal greens
  • 1 tspfine salt, divided

Gravy

  • 150 mldefatted roasting juices (top up with stock if the chicken yields less), plus the softened onion
  • 300 mlchicken stock
  • 1 tbspcornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 tspWorcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1/4 tspfine salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, added only as needed

Per serving

947 kcal50.3g protein80g carbs49g fat

Nutrition calculated from 22 of 22 ingredients

Approximately 790 kcal, 58g protein, 73g carbohydrate, 30g fat and 10g fibre per serving.

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Method

  1. 01

    For crisper skin

    30 min

    For crisper skin, pat the chicken dry, season all over with 2 tsp salt and leave uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. Otherwise season it 30 minutes before roasting. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

  2. 02

    Heat the oven to 200°C fan

    3 min

    Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Put the onion in the large roasting tin. Rub the chicken with butter and pepper, put the lemon and thyme inside the cavity and sit it on the rack or directly over the onion. Pour 250ml stock into the tin, avoiding the skin.

  3. 03

    Roast for 20 minutes

    68 min

    Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C fan and cook for another 60-75 minutes. Begin checking at 60 minutes: the thickest breast and thigh should reach at least 75°C without the probe touching bone.

  4. 04

    While the chicken starts roasting

    8 min

    While the chicken starts roasting, put the potatoes in cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain, steam dry for 3 minutes, shake to roughen the edges and dust with semolina if using.

  5. 05

    Heat the vegetable oil or goose fat

    60 min

    Heat the vegetable oil or goose fat in a roasting tin for 5 minutes. Carefully add the potatoes, turn to coat and roast for 55-65 minutes, turning twice, until crisp and deep gold.

  6. 06

    Toss the carrots and parsnips

    35 min

    Toss the carrots and parsnips with olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Roast in a separate tin for 35 minutes. Add the honey, turn the vegetables and roast for another 10-15 minutes.

  7. 07

    When cooked

    28 min

    When cooked, lift the chicken onto a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 25-30 minutes. The long rest keeps it juicy and gives time to finish the gravy and greens.

  8. 08

    Pour the chicken-tin contents through a sieve

    3 min

    Pour the chicken-tin contents through a sieve into a jug, pressing the onion. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 2 tbsp. Put the roasting tin over medium heat, add 300ml stock and scrape up the browned residue. Add the strained juices and Worcestershire sauce.

  9. 09

    Simmer the gravy

    5 min

    Simmer the gravy for 5 minutes. Whisk in enough cornflour mixture to reach a light coating consistency, simmer for 2 minutes and season to taste.

  10. 10

    Steam or boil the broccoli or greens

    5 min

    Steam or boil the broccoli or greens for 4-6 minutes until just tender; season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Carve the chicken and serve with potatoes, roots, greens and gravy.

Equipment check

8 items required

  • Large roasting tin with rack
  • Medium roasting tin
  • Large saucepan
  • Steamer or second saucepan
  • Meat thermometer
  • Carving board and sharp knife
  • Whisk
  • Gravy jug

Dietary and allergen note: Gluten-free if the stock and cornflour are certified. Contains dairy.

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Recipe diagnostics

Checked before you cook.

Structurally checked

Metric quantities and serving yield are explicit

Method includes timing and doneness cues

Nutrition is identified as a calculated estimate

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