Perfect roast chicken

A roast chicken cooked well is the ultimate in comfort food.. Here's a recipe I found that ensures juicy,  succulent meat on the inside with a crisp, golden and tasty skin. Who says chicken is boring? Nom nom.

How do you roast your chicken?

Recipe

• 1 medium chicken (approx 1.5kg)
• Salt and pepper
• Butter
• Flavourings of your choice (I use crushed garlic and rosemary)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 220˚C (200˚C fan assisted)
• Bring a large stockpot of salted water to boil and add the chicken, breast side down. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry with paper kitchen towels until thoroughly dry.
• Now put the chicken in a roasting tin and rub generously with butter. Season well, both inside and out. Stuff the cavity with crushed garlic and rosemary.
• Pour water into the bottom of the roasting tin. You want a couple of milimeteres on the bottom. Now put the chicken in the oven and cook for around 1 to 1 hour 15 minutes (or until the juices run clear - test the leg by pulling it and poking)
• 10 minutes before your chicken is due to come out of the oven, whack up the heat to 250˚C and this will crisp up the skin lovely. Keep an eye on it though, you don't want it burned.
• Once removed from oven, allow the bird to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Want to know how to carve?