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Roast chicken in the cast iron skillet, roasted with veggies and pan juices
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Whole Roast Chicken

Classic roast chicken made scrumptious with our very own herb garlic marinade. This detailed foolproof recipe will help you make the perfect homemade roast chicken.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, American Italian, Continental
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6 portions
Calories 494kcal
Author Richa

Ingredients

  • 1 kg whole chicken at room temperature giblets and neck removed from cavity
  • 1 Lemon halved
  • 1 sprig Rosemary
  • Olive Oil for brushing

Marinade

  • ½ cup Salted Butter
  • 2 tablespoon Garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon Sage chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Rosemary chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Thyme chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 Lemon Zested
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Vegetables

  • 3 Onion quartered
  • 2 Sweet Potato chunks
  • 1 head Garlic halved
  • ½ cup Chicken Stock + ¼ cup extra

Gravy

  • 1 tablespoon flour

Instructions

  • Add all the marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together to combine. Use the back of a spoon to gently loosen the skin. Turn over the chicken and repeat the process using the other end of the spoon. Use the spoon to insert marinade underneath the chicken skin. Massage the chicken and spread the marinade evenly. Remember to add butter in the cavity as well. Rub the remaining marinade all over the chicken. Cover the chicken and rest for 2-3 hours or overnight.
  • Stuff the rosemary sprig into the chicken cavity along with half a lemon. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
  • Lightly grease a roasting pan. Mix the sweet potato, onion, and garlic in a bowl. Place some of the vegetables in the center of the roasting pan. Place breast-side up on top of the vegetables in the middle. Place the remaining vegetables on the sides of the pan. Tuck the wings underneath the chicken as they cook faster and we do not want to overcook them. Rub the chicken with some olive oil and drizzle some over the vegetables as well. Add half a cup of chicken stock to the pan.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C. Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes. baste using the pan juices half way through cooking time. Remember when cooked, juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer. Internal temperature should read 75C.
  • Remove from the oven and allow it to stand for 10 minutes before serving. To carve the chicken, first cut out the legs. Then proceed to cut the breast out carefully, seperate the wing tips and then remove the meat from the cavity area.
  • Remove the vegetables from the roasting pan and move it to a serving platter. Add 1 tablespoons of flour to the pan and whisk it with the pan juices. Bring this mixture to a boil over low heat till the liquid thickens up to make a gravy. Add up to an additional quarter cup of stock if necessary. Serve hot along with the chicken and vegetables!

Video

Notes

  1. The chicken I used was approximately 1.2 kgs. This took 90 minutes at 220C. The time may vary depending on your oven's capacity and the size of the chicken. 
  2. Use chicken with skin on as the skin gives it that crispy roast texture. 
  3. Remember to marinade the chicken well. Apply the marinade in between the skin and meat. These pockets can hold ample amounts of marinade and help get the flavour all the way into the meat. 
  4. Knowing when the chicken is cooked: The internal temperature of cooked chicken should read 165F/73C. The most handy way to tell would be using a meat thermometer. If you do not own one, you can cut and check the juices. If the meat is white in colour and the juices run clear that means the chicken is cooked. The meat or the juices should not have a red/pinkish hue. 
  5. Getting rid of juices Tip 1: A trick to getting rid of the juices if you absolutely prefer it that way is to remove the chicken once its cooked and place the sheet pan with veggies back into the oven on the top rack. Turn the broiler or the top element on and let the veggies broil for 3-4 minutes. This will get them nice and crispy and evaporate all the juices in the sheet pan.
  6. Getting rid of juices Tip 2: Another way to get rid of the juices is to sear the thighs on both sides in a pan first before placing them in the oven. This can help lock in the juices so that you have less liquid when it comes out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 11847IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg