- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 200c, 180c for fan assisted ovens, gas mark 6.
- Place the chicken in a roasting tin (breast side up) and pat the chicken dry with paper towels, brush the chicken all over with melted butter and season well with salt and pepper, place a halved red onion in the cavity (optional).
- Place in the middle of the oven and roast for 20 minutes per 500g plus 30 mins.
- Check if the chicken is cooked by piercing it with a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, the juices should run clear. If not continue roasting for another 5 minutes and check again. Continue checking every 5 minutes until juices run clear.
- Allow to stand for 10 – 15 minutes before carving.
Fancy adding little Zest
Halve a lemon and halve a garlic head horizontally. Stuff them together with 3 sprigs of rosemary in the chicken cavity. Finely chop some sprigs of rosemary and sprinkle the chicken along with sweet paprika powder and black pepper.
Cook as above.
Thanks for the recipe. I await the outcome tomorrow.
I am roasting a 4lb Chicken tomorrow I will let you know
I am cooking a 4lb Chicken tomorrow will let you Know
We have frequently bought your chickens at Christmas time from the Riverside Butchers in Taunton. This year we followed your “Zesty” guidelines to the letter for an 8lb bird. Against my established practice I did not cover the bird with foil whilst it was being cooked. The result was an outstanding success! We were all very pleased.
Amazing, so pleased to hear it was a sucess.
Delicious with the recommended stuffing in cavity. Free range chicken.
Hiya, do you have any recommendations on cooking times per kilo for one of your chicken’s spatchcocked? Thank you !
Good morning, unfortuneatelt I have no experience with cooking times for birds that have been spatchcocked, I have no idea how this would effect normal roasting times. I would imagine they would be similar. If I were you I would weigh it and then google spatchcocked cooking times by weight, sorry I couldn’t be more help, hope you enjoy