Mains
British
BritishRoast Chicken Dinner
A full roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings, taken from a simple value bird to a dry-brined free-range roast with proper gravy. The tiers differ in the quality of the chicken, the fat used and the depth of the gravy.
Nut-free
Dairy-free
Contains alcohol
Ultimate version
A dry-brined corn-fed chicken with confit garlic, duck-fat roasties and a rich pan gravy finished with wine.
Per serving£5.50
Total cost£22.00
Time2 hr 20 min
Ingredients for 4
- Chicken
- 2 kg corn-fed free-range chicken , dry-brined overnight
- 1 whole garlic bulb , halved
- 4 fresh tarragon sprigs
- Roast potatoes
- 1200 g Maris Piper potatoes , peeled and chunked
- 5 tbsp duck fat
- 1 tbsp semolina
- Vegetables
- 400 g heritage carrots , halved
- 200 g tenderstem broccoli
- Gravy
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 500 ml fresh chicken stock
- 1 tbsp plain flour
Method
- The day before, rub the chicken all over with salt and refrigerate uncovered to dry-brine.
- Heat the oven to 200C. Sit the chicken on the halved garlic bulb and tarragon, then roast for about 100 minutes, basting twice.
- Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes, drain, toss with semolina to roughen, then roast in smoking-hot duck fat for 55 minutes, turning, until deeply golden.
- Roast the carrots until caramelised and steam the broccoli for 4 minutes to finish.
- Rest the chicken loosely covered for 20 minutes. Set the roasting tin over heat, stir in the flour, deglaze with the wine, then whisk in the stock and reduce to a glossy gravy.
- Squeeze the confit garlic from its skins into the gravy and strain.
- Carve the rested chicken and serve with the duck-fat roasties, heritage veg and pan gravy.
Equipment
- roasting tin
- fine sieve
- saucepan
The three ways, side by side
Budget
A value whole chicken with frozen veg and instant gravy granules.
Better
A free-range chicken with goose-fat roast potatoes, fresh veg and a stock-based gravy.
Ultimate
A dry-brined corn-fed chicken with confit garlic, duck-fat roasties and a rich pan gravy finished with wine.
