How to make the ultimate roast chicken? Top-rated recipes from our food writers

From rotisserie style to stuffed with garlic, our most popular roast chicken recipes have one thing in common: they all taste delicious

The best roast chicken recipe is right here.

Marcella Hazan's roast chicken with lemons

recipe by:Darina Allen

Simpe roast chicken - that is all that there is to this recipe. No fat to cook with, no basting to do, no stuffing to prepare, no condiments except for salt and pepper

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 1.35-1.8kg free range organic chicken

• sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 2 small lemons

• trussing needle and string

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Rub the salt and freshly ground black pepper with your fingers over all the chicken and into the cavity.

3. Wash the lemons well and dry them with a tea towel, roll on the counter and prick each of the lemons in at least 20 places with a cocktail stick or skewer. Put both lemons in the cavity.

4. Close up the opening with cocktail sticks or with a trussing needle and string. Don’t make it absolutely airtight or the chicken may burst.

5. Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast side down. Do not add cooking fat of any kind. This bird is self-basting, so don’t worry it won’t stick to the pan.

6. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken breast side up. Be careful not to puncture the skin.

7. Cook for another 30-35 minutes then increase the heat to 200°C, and cook for a further additional 20 minutes. Calculate between 20-25 minutes total cooking time for each 500g.

8. There is no need to turn the chicken again.

9. Bring the chicken to the table whole and leave the lemons inside until it is carved. The juices that run out are perfectly delicious, so be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices. The lemons will have shrivelled up but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze, they may squirt. Serve immediately.
   This recipe is from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.

Rotisserie style roast chicken

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Make two of these chickens at a time - one never seems to be enough

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 chicken (1.7-2kg)

• ½ lemon

• 4 garlic cloves, bashed

• olive oil

• 2 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• sea salt

• black pepper

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp dried parsley

• 60g butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2. Place the lemon half and one of the cloves inside the cavity of your organic chicken. Tie the legs together with some cooking string if they are not already tied together by the butcher. Place in a medium to large roasting tin.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the spices, salt and butter and smother the seasoned butter all over the chicken and inside the skin. Sprinkle over the dried herbs and place whatever vegetables you are using like potatoes and carrots, along with the rest of the garlic cloves around the chicken and drizzle with olive oil, seasoning generously.

4. Place in the oven for 2-2½ hours. While the chicken is cooking, baste it a couple of times with the pan juices. Serve immediately with the lovely veg and pan juices poured all over.