To achieve crispy chicken skin, make sure the surface has been dried thoroughly. Basting the chicken during roasting also helps the skin to brown and keeps the chicken moist.
Let roast chicken rest, covered loosely with foil, for 15 minutes. This will allow all the juices to distribute evenly through the meat. Resting chicken with the breast facing down will make the juices accumulate through the breast ensuring the meat is nice and moist.
Ingredients
- 1.8 kilograms whole chicken
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 medium lemon (140g), rind grated finely
- 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 500 grams baby carrots, trimmed, scrubbed
- lemon wedges, to serve
- seasonal vegetables, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C/170° fan.
- Pat chicken completely dry inside and out with paper towel. Combine oil, garlic, mustard and rind in a small bowl. Season well with salt flakes. Carefully run your fingers between chicken skin and breast and legs to form a pocket; spread three−quarters of the oil mixture all over chicken flesh underneath the skin. Rub remaining mixture on top of skin. Cut the lemon in half and place in chicken cavity with the parsley and thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with string and place in a heavy−based roasting pan. Place carrots around chicken with ⅓ cup (80ml) water.
- Bake chicken for 1½ hours, basting occasionally, or until chicken is cooked through. Rest, covered, for 15 minutes (see note).
- Serve roast chicken with carrots, seasonal vegetables and pan juices.
