Perfect Sunday Roast Chicken With Pan Gravy

Perfect roast chicken with sage and thyme and a delicious and easy pan gravy makes for the ideal centrepiece for a classic Sunday lunch.

A medium chicken will roast in around an hour and 10 minutes and the resting time gives you all the time you need to make the best and easiest gravy!

The Perfect Sunday Roast

You can take the Brit out of Britain, but you can’t take the Britain out of the Brit! As much as my food is influenced by global flavours I still have a huge love for classic simple British food.

Dishes like cottage pie, beef stew and dumplings and corned beef and potato pies are very close to my foodie heart!

Sunday lunch is of course at the heart of that love too! A simple whole roast chicken is a thing of great beauty and is the star of so many Sunday lunches.

And with roast chicken you need a good gravy, this simplest of meals has been complicated over time.

But it really needn’t be any stress at all!

This dish takes between an hour and half and an hour and an hour and 45 minutes, it uses a medium chicken (1.5-2kg) and includes the resting time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you remove the wishbone?

The first thing I do is to remove the wishbone, this makes the bird easier to carve. You can see how I do this in the video below, it is in the first few seconds.

Don’t worry if you cannot be bothered, it does not have an impact on the cooking!

Do I really need a meat thermometer?

As far as I am concerned, yes. The key to roasting meat is hitting the right internal temperature. A meat thermometer ensures that you get this right every single time.

Why do you put butter between the skin and the breast meat?

It offers a layer of protection for the delicate breast meat and it bastes the chicken as it bakes. This means that the breast is less prone to drying out, it’s also the perfect way to add flavour!

How do I loosen the skin?

To loosen the skin simply place your finger under the skin at the cavity end. Then free up the membrane in the centre near the breast bone.

Once that is free you can gently work it and get your whole hand in there!

Can I stuff the cavity?

I never stuff a bird because it has an impact on cooking time and makes it unpredictable.

Is resting important?

Yes, absolutely, in fact, it is every bit as important as any other part of the recipe, DO NOT skip this step.

Serving Suggestions

Sunday roast chicken must be served with perfect roast potatoes although if I am feeling indulgent, I go for fondant potatoes.

I’m also fond of adding Yorkshire puddings, they ain’t just for roast beef as far as I am concerned.

Rather than stuffing the bird I also always make some sage and onion stuffing balls. You can roast them in the pan alongside the chicken.

When it comes to veggies I like green beans with almonds, miso Brussel sprouts or some glazed Chantenay carrots and buttered savoy cabbage or roasted savoy cabbage!

If you want something a little different how about this delicious vegetable crumble.

Finally, if you have leftovers, then you must give this simple leftover chicken soup a whirl it is wonderful!

Equipment Used

I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven.
• Stovetop.
• Roasting tin, if you are using an induction hob make sure that it is ok on an induction hob.
• Fine mesh sieve.
• Paring knife to remove the wishbone (optional).
• Instant read meat thermometer.
• Small-medium mixing bowl.