Easy Roast Chicken For the Whole Family

This delicious, and fuss free, easy roast chicken is perfect for the whole family to enjoy. 

Serve with a variety of vegetables and add mashed potatoes (made with quality butter and full fat milk) for children. For those following a lower carb, Mediterranean-style diet, experiment with white bean mash – you can watch Dr Clare Bailey making it here.

Serves: 6

Calories per serving: 277

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus extra for resting)

Cook time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1.3kg whole chicken
• 50g Butter, softened
• ½ lemon, zest and cut in half
• Thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 4 celery stalks

Method:

1. Pull out chicken half an hour before cooking to come to room temperature – rinse and pat dry with a paper towel, including the cavity. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
2. Mix the softened butter with lemon zest, thyme and salt and pepper.
3. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper and pop in the lemon halves that you’ve zested into the cavity.
4. Use your hands to coat the chicken with the butter mix. If you’re feeling adventurous, slip your hand or a spatula between the skin and the breast and pop some butter under the skin before coating the bird with the remaining butter. Make a trivet with celery stalks in the bottom of a roasting dish and place the buttered chicken on top. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
5. Check on your bird every 20 minutes and baste with juices in the pan (if you’ve done the butter under the skin you can skip the basting).
6. After 45 minutes of cooking, stick a knife in the fattest part of the thigh – if the juices run clear/pale gold then your bird is done!
7. Rest, covered in foil, for at least ten minutes before carving.

Tips:

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat or serve cold.
• Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Defrost and reheat before serving.

Notes: 

• Choose a free range/organic chicken for best quality and flavour.
• The weight of a whole chicken is not equal to the amount of flesh that can be consumed. Assume approximately 50-60% of the total weight as edible flesh (so a 1.3kg chicken, will produce approximately 700g raw flesh).