Roasted Chicken with Gravy

A wholesome and comforting roasted dinner with perfectly cooked chicken, potatoes and carrots flavoured with lemon, herbs and garlic. The prep takes just 10 minutes and the oven does the rest of the work, with a gorgeous gravy made from the pan juices.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 whole chicken (1.2–1.8 kg)
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp dried herbs of choice (thyme or oregano)
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp chicken stock powder (bouillon), or salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 slices fresh lemon
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthways
• 2 brown or red onions, cut in half
• 1 whole garlic bulb, sliced in half horizontally
• 2 pinches fresh thyme, to serve (optional)
• Cooking twine (optional)

Gravy

• Pan drippings, reserved from cooking the chicken
• 2 tbsp flour
• 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 500 ml (2 cups) water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced).
2. Place the chicken in a large baking dish and pat it dry with a paper towel.
3. Sprinkle the chicken with paprika, dried herbs, pepper and chicken stock powder. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over evenly.
4. Stuff the two lemon rounds into the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs with twine (optional).
5. Surround the chicken with the roasting vegetables (carrots, onions and garlic).
6. Roast for 1½ hours. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of water at the 45-minute mark. Shuffle the vegetables and chicken around when the water is added.
7. Once cooked, set the chicken aside loosely covered with foil while you prepare the gravy. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
8. For the gravy, place the baking tray with vegetables on the stovetop over medium–high heat.
9. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until a paste forms.
10. Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens.
11. Strain the gravy through a sieve, pushing as much vegetable mix through as possible to create a thick gravy.
12. Serve the gravy alongside the roasted chicken, sprinkled with fresh thyme if using.

Tips

• The cooking twine is optional but helps seal in the juices and allows more even cooking.
• If you don’t have a baking tray compatible with your stovetop, pour the pan drippings and vegetables into a large pan instead.
• For air fryer: marinate as above and cook at 180°C (350°F) for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Marinate and refrigerate the chicken up to 48 hours before cooking.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Not suitable to freeze.