sunday-roast-chicken.txt

# Sunday Roast Chicken

Last modified: 2026-02-11 | Size: 2.1kb
Time: 2h | Serves: 4 | Difficulty: Easy Category: Main | Cuisine: Traditional
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Sunday roast chicken is ritual. Not just cooking. A weekly reset. The smell fills the house. Windows fog with steam. Time slows. My grandmother made this every Sunday. Same chicken. Same vegetables. Same worn roasting pan. She never used a recipe. Never checked temperature. Just knew. High heat first. That's the secret she passed down. Start hot. Get the skin crackling. Then drop the temperature and forget about it. The oven does the work. Leftovers are the real prize. Cold chicken sandwiches Monday. Soup stock Tuesday. One bird carries you through half the week. Economical. Practical. Delicious. This isn't fancy. This is foundational. Learn this and you'll never fear having people over for dinner.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 220°C.
  2. Pat chicken completely dry inside and out with paper towel. This is critical for crispy skin.
  3. Season the cavity generously with salt and pepper. Stuff with lemon halves, garlic, and thyme. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
  4. Rub softened butter all over the skin. Season the outside aggressively with salt and pepper.
  5. Toss potatoes, carrots, and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a roasting pan. Place chicken on top of vegetables, breast-side up.
  6. Roast at 220°C for 20 minutes until skin starts to brown. Reduce heat to 180°C. Continue roasting for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
  7. Check doneness by inserting a knife between the leg and thigh. Juices should run clear. Internal temperature should read 75°C.
  8. Remove chicken to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil. Rest for 15 minutes. Serve carved with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.
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Nutrition (per serving)

┌──────────────┬──────────┐ │ Nutrient │ Amount │ ├──────────────┼──────────┤ │ Calories │ 450 kcal │ │ Protein │ 38g │ │ Carbs │ 25g │ │ Fat │ 24g │ │ Fibre │ 4g │ │ Sodium │ 520mg │ └──────────────┴──────────┘
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