Sunday roast chicken recipe

Details

• Cuisine: English
• Recipe Type: Main
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 120 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

1. Make the apple and herb stuffing: melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion, and cook gently for a few minutes until softened. Remove from the heat, cool slightly, then stir in the apple, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, then leave until cold.
2. Put the parsley and thyme sprigs into the cavity of the chicken, add the lemon and onion, and season well with black pepper. Tie the legs together with string.
3. Spoon the stuffing into the neck end of the chicken, secure the skin flap over the stuffing with a small skewer, and pat into a rounded shape. Put any remaining stuffing into a baking dish.
4. Weigh the stuffed chicken and calculate the roasting time at 20 minutes per 500g (1lb), plus an extra 20 minutes. Rub the butter over the breast, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Place the chicken, breast-side down, in a roasting tin. Roast in a preheated oven at 190°C (170°C fan, Gas 5) for the calculated time, turning the bird over when lightly browned and basting it every 20 minutes. Put any stuffing in the oven for the last 40 minutes.
6. Check that the chicken is done, then transfer to a warmed serving platter, and cover with foil. Make the gravy.
7. For the gravy: tilt the tin and spoon off all but 1 tbsp of the fat that is on the surface, leaving behind the cooking juices and sediment. Put the tin on the hob.
8. Carve the chicken. Remove the stuffing from the neck cavity and transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot, with the gravy and roast potatoes.