Roast chicken recipes
Is there anything more popular than a roast chicken? We doubt it. With roast chicken recipes that go from summery, spicy and spatchocked to the classic Sunday lunch, there's a chook for every occasion.
Roast chicken is the ultimate crowd pleaser and always welcome whatever the weather. Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread in summer or as a roast dinner for winter. Use our roasting calculator to work out the exact times and temperatures for your roast.
More roast chicken recipes
Buyer's guide
The type of bird you buy can impact its flavour and cooking time. Organic and free-range birds are older and more highly-flavoured as the bird has had more exercise and has put on more fat which adds flavour.
A conventionally raised chicken may be more tender, as it is younger. If water has been added to the chicken in processing it can take longer to cook.
A 1.5kg chicken will serve 4 people with leftovers, depending on appetites.
Preparation
Salt the chicken inside the cavity and all over the skin up to a day ahead of cooking to add flavour and to help dry out the skin. It also helps to have the chicken unwrapped in the fridge so the skin can dry, but be careful to prevent it cross-contaminating other food in the fridge. Allow the bird to warm up for half an hour out of the fridge before roasting. You can add half an onion, some herbs (such as thyme or bay leaves) or lemon wedges to the cavity to add flavour. Putting butter or oil on the skin can help it to crisp up.
Always allow the chicken to rest after roasting for at least half an hour. This allows the meat to relax, reabsorb the juices and soften up. Covering it with foil and a tea towel will help to keep it warm.
