Roast Chicken {and Homemade Chicken Gravy}

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Chicken

• Whole chicken
• Salt and black pepper
• Garlic
• Yellow onion
• Fresh herbs including thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley (buy the blend)
• Butter

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Gravy

• Pan drippings remaining after roasting chicken
• Low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• Cornstarch
• Heavy cream

How to Roast a Chicken

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Trim of excess fat from chicken and remove any pin feathers that may be left behind.
• Remove giblets from center of chicken then rinse chicken. Dab dry with paper towels.
• Rub a cast iron skillet with a little vegetable oil then transfer chicken to skillet.
• Season inside cavity with salt and pepper then stuff with garlic cloves, onion wedges and herbs.
• Rub butter all over chicken and season with salt and pepper.
• Tie chicken legs together and fold the wing tips back and tuck under chicken.
• Cook in oven until thigh registers 165 and breast register 160.
• Let chicken rest 10 – 15 minute before carving.

Can I Use a Smaller or Larger Chicken?

You can use a smaller or larger chicken here (no smaller than 4 lbs no larger than). 6 lbs is ideal because it will give you more drippings for gravy and it takes longer to roast than say a 4 lb chicken so you’ll get a browner skin.

Cook Times for Different Sizes (at 425 degrees). As always test for doneness:

• A 4 lbs chicken should take about 60 minutes
• A 5 lb chicken should take about 75 minutes
• A 7 lb chicken should take about 105 minutes

What if I Don’t Have Kitchen Twine?

I haven’t tested these alternatives yet myself but I’ve heard these are good substitutes:

• Dental floss
• Several strands of thread (enough that will hold it sturdy)
• Aluminum foil rolled into a rope-like shape

Do I Need a Thermometer?

For best results I highly recommend a kitchen thermometer. It takes out the guess work and you aren’t ending with an under-cooked or over-cooked chicken. No one wants to get sick and no one likes dry chicken.

You can purchase one for as little as $8 (I just bought THIS ONE).

To test the temperature stick the thermometer into the thickest part (but not touching the bone) of both the inner thigh and breast meat. Thigh should be 165 degrees and breast 160.