Sunday Roast Chicken

Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Roughly chop the onion and carrots and spread them over the bottom of the roasting pan.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out. Place the lemon halves and garlic inside the cavity, and rub the skin with 30 g of softened butter.

Peel the potatoes, cut the large ones in half, and boil in 1000 ml of salted water for 7 minutes. Drain, then shake the potatoes in the pan to rough up the edges, and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Set the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan and arrange the potatoes around it. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes without opening the oven; the chicken is done when the juices from the thickest part of the thigh run clear and the internal temperature reaches at least 70°C.

Transfer the chicken to a board, cover with foil and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. Keep the vegetables and potatoes warm.

For the gravy, set the roasting pan over low heat, stir 1 tbsp of flour into the pan juices and cook until it forms a light brown paste. Gradually pour in the chicken stock, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits; simmer for 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Strain the gravy, stir in any juices released while the chicken was resting, and serve the sliced chicken with the potatoes, carrots, onion and gravy.