Foolproof Roast Chicken (Slow Roasted)

Here’s a foolproof way to cook a perfect roast chicken with juicy meat & crispy skin! We’re cooking to temperature, not time which ensures perfectly cooked meat.

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This method of roasting a chicken works every time & ensures juicy, perfectly cooked meat and crispy, golden skin! Our roast chicken is packed with flavour as well, thanks to the fresh herbs, garlic & lemon that we’re stuffing inside the chicken’s cavity.

A properly roasted chicken is perfect for a Sunday roast but also works great for when you need an easy midweek meal. Plus you can use any leftovers to make sandwiches, salads, pies & loads more!

Slow Roasted Chicken

The way we cook this roast chicken can be broken down into 2 steps. First, a slow roast to gently cook the meat then a quick blast of heat at the end, to crisp up the skin. It’s a simple yet effective way to cook a classic roast chicken.

So what’s so special with this roasting method? Well, not only does it produce great tasting chicken but it’s almost impossible to overcook the meat! The trick here is to cook the chicken to temperature, not time. This means that we’re using a food probe to check the chicken’s internal temperature then taking it out of the oven when it’s just cooked. Then after a short rest, you’ll have a perfectly cooked chicken that’s ready to serve. This is how you get juicy chicken every time!

If you’re looking for some sides to serve with your roast chicken, I’d recommend checking out our collection of side dish recipes! There’s all the classics here, from crispy roast potatoes, to homemade gravy & massive Yorkshire puddings…

What You’ll Need

• Whole Chicken – You can use a whole chicken of any size for this recipe, as we’re cooking to temperature, not time. I used a 2kg chicken which will comfortably feed 4 people.
• Fresh Herbs – We’re stuffing the chicken’s cavity with fresh rosemary & thyme. You could use fresh sage as well!
• Lemon – We’re also going to be stuffing the cavity with a whole lemon, cut into slices.
• Garlic – You’ll need a whole bulb of garlic, which we’re going to cut in half & place inside the chicken’s cavity.
• Vegetable Oil – We’re going to be coating the chicken with a small amount of vegetable oil before cooking it. This makes the skin nice & crispy!

How To Slow Roast A Whole Chicken

The full, printable recipe card for this roast chicken can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…

1. Temper The Chicken
   The first step is to take your chicken out of the fridge, remove any packaging then place onto a rack set inside a roasting tin and pat the skin dry. If your chicken has been trussed, make sure to untie it before cooking. We then let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes (this is called tempering the chicken).
   Whilst your chicken is tempering, preheat an oven to 160°c/320°f.
2. Season & Stuff The Cavity
   Next, we stuff the chicken’s cavity with lemon slices, a halved garlic bulb & plenty of fresh rosemary & thyme. Then we coat the outside of the chicken with a thin coating of vegetable oil and season the skin with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Slow Roast
   Now we slowly roast our chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 65°c/150°f, in the thickest part of the breasts & thighs. This will take around an hour but this depends on the size of your chicken.
4. Finish At A High Temperature (To Crisp Up The Skin)
   Once our chicken is up to temperature, we turn the oven up to 220°c/428°f then continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes, until the skin is crisp & golden and the internal temperature has reached 73°c/163°f.
5. Rest
   Now that our roast chicken is cooked, we need to let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. It’s best to cover the chicken loosely with foil (not tightly wrapped!), to stop the skin going soggy.
6. Carve
   To carve a roast chicken, we cut the legs off at the thigh joint, remove the wings & cut the breast meat off the bone (either in slices or as whole breasts). Don’t throw away the carcass though! It can be used to make stock, gravy or soup.

Roast Chicken Tips & Tricks

• For the best flavour, use a good quality chicken. I’d recommend visiting your local butcher!
• Stuff the chicken’s cavity with garlic & fresh herbs, for extra flavour. A sliced lemon works nicely as well.
• Whole chickens can take a fair amount of seasoning so don’t be shy with the salt & pepper!
• Use a digital food probe to check the chicken’s internal temperature. This helps avoid overcooking the meat.
• Let your roast chicken rest for at least 20 minutes before carving, for the juiciest meat.
• For the cleanest slices, use a sharp carving or chef’s knife to carve the chicken.

What To Do With Leftover Roast Chicken

Leftover roast chicken can be served either hot or cold. It’s especially good in salads & sandwiches but can also be used in pies, quiches & lots more! Any leftover roast chicken needs to be stored in the fridge & is best eaten within 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Equipment Used

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• Thermapen Food Probe
• Roasting Tin

More Main Course Recipes To Try!

• Goose Fat Jacket Potatoes
• Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs With Garlic & Herbs
• Black Garlic Hanger Steaks
• Slow Roasted Sirloin Of Beef (Reverse Seared)
• Grilled Spatchcock Chicken With Chermoula Sauce
• Nduja Stuffed Porchetta

Watch How To Make This Recipe!

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