Recipe: Roast Chicken with Lemon + Roast Potatoes

It's been a while since I made roast chicken, so when Hubby put in a special request last weekend, I immediately agreed. I miss eating roast chicken too; back in the UK it was almost a weekly indulgence for us as we loved having it for Sunday Roast.

I really like Thomas Keller's simple recipe for roast chicken, basically you need to ensure the skin is very dry before you put it in the oven and salt it sufficiently. This time, we also stuffed the chicken cavity with a lemon which gives the roast chicken an extra flavour kick. A must-have for us are roast potatoes, the recipe for which I have included below as well. What a delicious, satisfying dinner for the whole family!

Sunday Roast at Home

Simple Roast Chicken with Lemon

Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 - 15 minutes
Cooking time: Depending on size of chicken
Serves 5-6

Ingredients
1 x 2.3kg chicken, preferably organic
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, cut into half


1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. Salt and pepper the cavity, then insert the lemon halves then truss the bird with twine (optional).

2. Salt the chicken, rain the salt (about 1 1/2 tbsp) over the bird. Season with pepper.

3. Place the chicken on a roasting pan and put it in the oven. To calculate the timing for roasting your chicken, cook 20 minutes for every 450g. The juices should be clear when you test the thickest part of the chicken. A 2.3kg chicken will take approximately 100-105 minutes.

4. Once done, remove chicken from oven and let it rest for 15 minutes on a carving board.

5. Remove the twine (if using). Remove the legs and thighs. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. 

6. For the gravy, dissolve 1 OXO beef cube in 2 cups of water in a pot. Add about 2 tbsp of beef gravy granules, and then add in the juices from the chicken after roasting. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then serve. 

The perfect roast potatoes
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45-50 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1kg Russet potatoes (about 6), peeled and cut into chunks
Olive oil
3 tbsp butter
Freshly ground salt and pepper



1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes.

2.Drain off the water in a colander. Fluff up the potatoes by shaking the colander vigorously, this will give the potatoes a nice crispy skin when they're cooked in the oven later.

3. Spread them out evenly on a large baking tray lined with foil and drizzle with olive oil. Insert chunks of butter in between and allow them to melt. Using a brush, apply the butter-olive oil onto the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the baking tray on the highest tray in the oven and leave it to cook for 35-40 minutes in a 200C oven or until they are golden brown. The best time to put the potatoes into the oven is about 40 minutes before the meat is ready to come out.

If you have any leftover roast chicken, you can use them in salads the next day! 

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