Description
A classic roast chicken recipe infused with fresh lemon and thyme, butter-basted to achieve a golden, crispy skin and juicy meat, served with a flavorful homemade gravy made from the pan drippings.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture
- 50g butter, softened
- Bunch fresh thyme or lemon thyme, leaves picked, stalks reserved, plus extra to serve
- 4 garlic cloves, 1 mashed, the other 3 left whole but squashed
- Juice of half a lemon
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 chicken, about 1½ kg
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 lemons, halved
Gravy
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 250ml chicken stock
- Splash of soy sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the butter mixture: In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with one-third of the thyme leaves, the mashed garlic clove, and the juice of half a lemon. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Using your hand, gently loosen the skin away from the chicken breast. Push most of the butter mixture underneath the skin into the gap. Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, remaining thyme leaves and stalks, and the whole but squashed garlic cloves.
- Prepare the roasting base: Scatter the roughly chopped carrots, onion, and bay leaves over the base of a small roasting tin. Place the chicken on top with the breast-side up.
- Roast the chicken: Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas mark 6. Roast the chicken on the middle shelf for 1 hour and 30 minutes, basting occasionally with the buttery juices after about 40 minutes. Roast until the skin is dark golden and crispy and the juices run clear when pierced.
- Rest the chicken: Remove the chicken from the oven and leave it in the tin for 5 minutes. Use tongs to pull the lemons, garlic, and thyme out of the cavity into the tin. Lift the chicken, letting any juices drain into the tin, then transfer to a serving platter and rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Make the gravy: Squeeze the juice from the cooked lemon halves into the roasting tin and discard the skins. Place the tin over low heat on the stovetop. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly browned. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring constantly, and cook for a few minutes until thickened. Add a splash of soy sauce if you prefer a darker gravy. Strain the gravy into a jug and serve alongside the chicken.
Notes
- Use fresh thyme or lemon thyme for the best aromatic flavor.
- Loosening the chicken skin carefully helps to baste the meat internally and keep it moist.
- Resting the chicken after roasting ensures the juices redistribute for tender meat.
- If you don’t have soy sauce, you can omit it or substitute with Worcestershire sauce for depth in the gravy.
- Make sure to baste the chicken after 40 minutes to achieve a crispy and flavorful skin.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: roast chicken, lemon thyme chicken, butter-basted chicken, homemade gravy, roast chicken recipe
