A beautifully golden Christmas roast chicken with fresh lemon, garlic and fragrant herbs. Roasted above a delicious base of our Free Range Chicken Bone Broth, this family favourite comes with an easy homemade pan gravy that's perfect for festive entertaining.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on chicken size
Resting time: 15 minutes
Total time: Approximately 2 hours 5 minutes to 2 hours 35 minutes
Serves: 4–6
Difficulty: Easy
Broth: The Little Bone Broth Co Free Range Chicken Bone Broth
Ingredients
For the roast chicken:
• 1 whole chicken, approximately 1.8–2kg
• 500ml Little Bone Broth Co Free Range Chicken Bone Broth
• 1 lemon, halved
• 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 40g butter, softened
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 medium onion, cut into thick wedges
• 2 carrots, cut into large pieces
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste (optional)
For the pan gravy:
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 300–400ml strained roasting liquid, topped up with water if needed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake or 210°C conventional bake.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the onion wedges and carrot pieces in the base of a large roasting tray.
3. Mix the softened butter with the chopped rosemary, thyme and a little black pepper.
4. Carefully loosen the skin over the chicken breast and spread some of the herb butter underneath. Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the chicken.
5. Place the halved lemon and two crushed garlic cloves inside the chicken cavity. Do not pack the cavity tightly.
6. Sit the chicken breast-side up on top of the vegetables and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Pour the Chicken Bone Broth around the chicken, not over the skin, and add the remaining garlic cloves to the roasting tray.
8. Roast for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. Check the tray periodically and add a little water if the liquid is evaporating too quickly.
9. The chicken is cooked when a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone, reads at least 75°C. Check the thickest part of the breast as well.
10. Carefully transfer the chicken to a serving platter, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, strain the roasting liquid into a heatproof jug. Allow the fat to rise, then skim off most of the excess.
12. For the gravy, add approximately 2 tablespoons of the skimmed roasting fat to a saucepan. If there is not enough fat, use a little butter.
13. Stir in the flour over medium heat and cook for 1 minute, whisking continuously.
14. Gradually whisk in 300–400ml of the strained roasting liquid until smooth.
15. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until thickened. Add the Dijon mustard if using, and season with black pepper.
16. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of water. If too thin, simmer a little longer.
17. Carve the rested chicken and serve with the homemade gravy, crispy roast potatoes and your favourite festive vegetables.
A Little Bone Broth Tip
Our Free Range Chicken Bone Broth is the secret to a delicious homemade roast chicken gravy. As the chicken roasts, its natural juices combine with the broth, garlic, lemon and herbs to create a beautifully savoury base for the gravy.
For extra-crispy skin, avoid pouring broth directly over the chicken. Keeping the liquid in the roasting tray allows the skin to brown while the broth develops flavour below.
Christmas Entertaining Tip
Prepare the herb butter and chop the vegetables the day before, then refrigerate them in separate covered containers.
On Christmas Day, assemble the chicken just before roasting. Allow enough time for cooking, resting and gravy preparation so there's no last-minute rush.
Simple ingredients. Delicious meals. Real family cooking.
