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How to roast a chicken

Roasted chicken hanging in an oven, golden-brown with herbs, surrounded by vegetables, lit by soft oven light creating a warm ambiance.

By Tom · Updated

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  • About 1 hour 10 min
  • Takes a bit of care

Learn how to roast a chicken like a chef - no fuss, no gimmicks. We'll also make a rich, homemade gravy using the roasted veggies. Whether you're going for classic or rotisserie-style, this guide has you covered.

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The recipe

How to roast a chicken

Learn how to roast a chicken like a chef - no fuss, no gimmicks.

  • 20 min prep
  • 42 min cooking
  • 8 min hands-off
  • Takes a bit of care

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Quantities
Measurements

Ingredients

For the chicken

For the vegetable base (for gravy)

For the gravy

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

Make the simple seasoning

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, mix flaky sea salt (4 tsp), dried thyme (1 tsp), and a generous amount of cracked black pepper. Stir until well combined.

Prepare the vegetable base

  1. Step 1

    Roughly chop the carrots (2), celery, and onion (1 onion). No need to peel them.

  2. Step 2

    Add the remaining half bulb of garlic (1 garlic) (cut crosswise).

  3. Step 3

    Place all vegetables on a tray that will go at the bottom of the oven.

Prep the chicken

  1. Step 1

    Pat the chicken (1 chicken) skin dry using kitchen paper - dry skin = crispy skin.

  2. Step 2

    Season the inside of the cavity with a pinch of the salt mix.

  3. Step 3

    Stuff the cavity with the fresh herbs (2 sprigs) and garlic (1 garlic) half.

  4. Step 4

    Rub olive oil (or butter) all over the chicken (1 chicken) to help the seasoning stick (2 sticks).

  5. Step 5

    Generously season the outside of the chicken (1 chicken) from a height for even coverage.

Optional: dry brine (if you have time)

  1. Step 1

    Refrigerate the seasoned chicken (1 chicken), uncovered, for 6-8 hours to allow flavours to penetrate and keep the meat juicy.

Choose a cooking method

  1. Step 1

    Option 1 (Standard): Place the chicken (1 chicken) on a wire rack over the tray of vegetables.

  2. Step 2

    Option 2 (Rotisserie-style): Tie the chicken (1 chicken) with butcher's twine and hang it from the oven rack above the veg tray. (See video for tying method.).

Roast the chicken

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 220°C (fan).

  2. Step 2

    Place vegetables on the lowest rack and chicken (1 chicken) above it.

  3. Step 3

    Roast at 220°C for 20 minutes, then reduce to 180°C and cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until internal temp reads 72°C.

Rest the chicken

  1. Step 1

    Remove from oven and let it rest on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before carving.

To carve

  1. Step 1

    Remove legs: Cut between breast and leg, then through the joint.

  2. Step 2

    Remove breasts: Slice alongside the breastbone and peel away.

  3. Step 3

    Remove wings if desired.

  4. Step 4

    Slice breasts as thick or thin as preferred.

To make the gravy

  1. Step 1

    Place the roasted veg tray over medium heat.

  2. Step 2

    Add 1 tbsp plain flour (1 tbsp) and stir for 2 minutes to cook out the flour.

  3. Step 3

    Pour in chicken stock (500 ml) (or other liquid) and stir well.

  4. Step 4

    Simmer until slightly thickened.

  5. Step 5

    Strain through a sieve into a saucepan.

  6. Step 6

    Simmer, season to taste, and serve hot.

Toms notes

  1. Step 1

    Hanging Method gives extra crispy skin, but placing the chicken (1 chicken) on a rack works beautifully too.

  2. Step 2

    Don't skip resting - it keeps the juices in.

  3. Step 3

    Save the carcass for stock.

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Questions people ask

How long does how to roast a chicken take?

About 1 hour 10 min from start to finish: 20 min of prep, 42 min of cooking, and 8 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.