Sunday Roast Chicken

Sunday roast is a sacred thing in Australia. Doesn't matter if you're in the city or out bush, Sunday means roast. Chicken's the easiest — cheaper than beef, quicker than lamb, and it comes out golden and crispy if you do it right. You stuff it with lemon and garlic, rub butter under the skin, surround it with vegetables that'll soak up all the good juices. Two hours in the oven and your house smells like home. This is family food, the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table. No fuss, just good honest cooking.

Ingredients

1.8kg whole chicken
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 sprigs fresh thyme
50g butter, softened
800g potatoes, cut into chunks
4 carrots, peeled and halved
2 brown onions, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C. Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature.
Pat chicken dry inside and out. Season cavity generously with salt and pepper, then stuff with lemon halves, garlic, and thyme.
Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs. Spread butter under the skin, then rub the outside with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.
Toss potatoes, carrots, and onions with remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a roasting tray.
Place chicken on top of the vegetables, breast-side up.
Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, until skin is golden and crispy and juices run clear when thigh is pierced. Internal temperature should reach 75°C.
Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Serve chicken with roasted vegetables and pan juices spooned over the top.

Sunday Roast Chicken

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition (per serve)