Winner chicken and gravy dinner

A simple roast chicken with crispy, golden skin is a glorious thing and once you’ve mastered the basics, you can switch up the flavours.

Roast chicken SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES

1.8kg whole chicken

75g butter, softened

1 clove garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or tarragon 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 medium lemon (140g), quartered

4 sprigs fresh thyme

3 cups (750ml) chicken stock

2 tablespoons plain flour

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). 2 Remove excess fat from cavity of chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out with water; pat cavity and skin dry. Tuck wings under body. Place chicken on an oiled rack in a medium,

flameproof roasting pan.

3 Combine butter, garlic and chopped herbs in a bowl. Run your fingers between the skin and breast meat. Spoon butter mixture under skin and push through skin to cover breast, tops of drumsticks and thighs. Fill cavity of chicken with lemon and thyme sprigs. Season all over.

Tie legs together with kitchen string.

4 Pour 2 cups of stock into pan (liquid should

not touch chicken). Roast for 15 minutes.

5 Reduce oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced); bake chicken for 1½ hours or until cooked, basting occasionally with pan juices. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil. Rest for 10 minutes.

6 To make gravy, pour pan juices into a jug. Skim fat from top. Return 2 tablespoons fat to pan. Add flour; stir over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining pan juices and stock; stir until gravy boils and thickens. Season. Strain gravy into heatproof jug.

7 Serve roast chicken with gravy.

• To achieve a crispy skin, remove plastic packaging; dry skin thoroughly with paper towel. • Basting during roasting helps the skin to brown and keeps the chicken moist. • Let chicken rest, covered loosely with foil, before carving. Rest chicken breast-side down to ensure the meat is nice and moist.

To portion the maryland, hold the drumstick and cut away from the thigh. Remove wing from breast by cutting through connective joint. Slice up chicken breasts.

Run your fingers between skin and breast meat; don’t tear skin. Scoop up butter mixture; place it under the skin; also cover breast, tops of drumsticks and thighs.

Place chicken on oiled rack. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Pour stock into pan; this will form the gravy base and prevent burning on base of pan.

Untie string. Steady chicken with a carving fork; cut skin between drumstick and thigh. Cut through the connective joint to release maryland. Repeat on other side.