Secrets to the perfect roast chicken dinner
Recipe source: David Herbert’s roast chicken dinner, The Weekend Australian Magazine.
David Herbert, recipe book author and recipe writer for the Weekend Australian Magazine, says that he cooks a roast chicken most Saturday nights, with the best-quality chook he can – ‘The better the bird, the better the dinner’. He often serves it simply with the juices that accumulate while the roasts rests, however for this recipe he has included a proper gravy recipe. This roast dinner will feed 4-6.
We hope you enjoy!
Roast Chicken
Ingredients
1.8kg-2kg free-range chicken
1 lemon, halved
2 cloves of unpeeled garlic
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 rashers streaky bacon
Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180C. Line a roasting tin with non-stick baking paper. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then place in the tin. Squeeze the juice of half the lemon over the bird; place the other half inside the cavity with the garlic and rosemary. Cover chicken breast with the bacon and drizzle a little olive oil over the legs and thighs. Roast for 15 minutes; remove bacon and set aside. Turn the chicken over so that it’s breast-side down and roast for another 50 minutes. Increase heat to 200C and turn chicken breast-side up again. Season with salt and pepper and roast for a further 10 minutes, or until golden. To check if it’s cooked, pierce the flesh between thigh and leg – if juices run clear, it is ready. Turn chicken breast-side down again and leave to rest in the tin in a warm place for 30 minutes while you make a gravy and cook or finish off vegetables. Return bacon to oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp before serving. When you carve the chook, juices will pool on the platter; as you slice the breast meat, dip it into the juices. Serve with the following gravy and smashed potatoes.
Gravy
Ingredients
Pan juices from the roast
2 cups (500ml) meat or vegetable stock
1½ tablespoons cornflour or plain flour
Instructions
Pour off most of the fat from the roasting tin, leaving behind the juices. Place the tin over medium-low heat and gradually add stock, stirring constantly to loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Transfer about 1 cup of liquid from the tin to a medium bowl. Whisk in cornflour or flour until smooth. Return mixture to roasting tin and whisk over medium-low heat until thick and smooth. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, adding a little more stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Makes 2 cups
As a variation, you can substitute 1 cup of the stock with 1 cup of red wine or cider.
Crushed potatoes
Ingredients
18 chat or baby potatoes
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled and crushed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 190C fan. Lightly oil a baking dish. In a large pot of boiling water, cook potatoes until tender (about 15-20 minutes); drain well. Place in the prepared baking dish; using a potato masher or fork, carefully crush each potato until flattened but still in one piece. Scatter over garlic and thyme and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
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