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Sunday 26 April 2020

Happy Sunday ... enjoy a plateful of classic roast chicken and gravy !

If I was to ask the grandchildren what their favourite dinner was the answer would be chicken! They love a classic (Sunday) roast chicken with carrots and their favourite green vegetable, which is broccoli...

I can remember my Dear Mum cooking what was for us a traditional Sunday family roast - often chicken, but also beef, pork or lamb. If she wanted to be slightly more adventurous then her favourite cookbook would be out on the kitchen table and she would check out recipes etc. This book was 'Mrs. Beeton's' cookbook, does anyone else remember that one?

But back to a Classic Chicken Roast and recipe suggestion -

Ingredients:
Serves Four
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 free range chicken, about 1½ kg/3lb 5oz
1 lemon, halved
small bunch thyme (optional)
For the gravy
1 tbsp. plain flour
250ml chicken stock (a cube is fine)

Method:
1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Have a shelf ready in the middle of the oven without any shelves above it. Scatter the vegetables over the base of a roasting tin that fits the chicken, but doesn’t swamp it.
2. Season the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, then stuff with the lemon halves and thyme, if using. Sit the chicken on the vegetables, smother the breast and legs all over with the butter, then season the outside with salt and pepper.
3. Place in the oven and leave, undisturbed, for 1 hr 20 minutes – this will give you a perfectly roasted chicken. To check, pierce the thigh with a skewer and the juices should run clear. Remove the tin from the oven and, using a pair of tongs, lift the chicken to a dish or board to rest for 15-20 minutes. As you lift the dish, let any juices from the chicken pour out of the cavity into the roasting tin.
4. While the chicken is resting, make the gravy. Place the roasting tin over a low flame, then stir in the flour and sizzle until you have a light brown, sandy paste. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring all the time, until you have a thickened sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to stir, scraping any sticky bits from the tin. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan, then simmer and season to taste. When you carve the bird, add any extra juices to the gravy.

Nutrition per serving:
4g Carbs 40g Fat 49g Protein

From an original idea here

Of course in the present Covid 19 emergency we cannot visit and all sit down for a family meal together … but we can perhaps do the next best thing! All agree to have the same lunch and at an allotted time use the internet Skype, Facetime etc to enjoy a virtual meal together.

A variety of recipe ideas, food suggestions and articles are within this blog, but not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.


Stay well and stay safe,
Do your best to keep smiling
and try to take something from each day.

All the best Jan

28 comments:

Jo said...

I don't think you can beat a roast dinner. We don't usually have ours on a Sunday though, I worked Sundays for many years so it became a tradition for us to have our roast dinner on a Monday and that's stuck even though I no longer work.

roughterrain crane said...

I like chiken, too. Keep good health and stay home.

Tom said...

...when I was a boy, every Sunday after church we had roast chicken!

Valerie-Jael said...

Roast chicken is always good, something I make when I have visitors. Valerie

Ella said...

Very tasty … but give me a vegetarian dish!
Have a nice Sunday!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

I love the roasted chicken, not a fan of gravy though. Thanks for sharing!
Take care and have a great day. Wishing you a great new week!

CJ Kennedy said...

Yum, roast chicken. My mother always did an eye roast of beef on Sunday. And I wonder if Mrs. Beeton is related to Betty Crocker. Enjoy your day and take care.

Margaret D said...

Love chicken.
I too remember my mum cooking chicken a baked one..yummy..

Anne (cornucopia) said...

This sounds delicious.

My name is Erika. said...

I went to buy a roasting chicken the other day on my weekly food shopping trip and they had none. OH my, this is what I want. Happy new week.

Natalia said...

Such a classic, perfect comfort food!

Sandra Cox said...

Sundays was always a beef pot roast when I was growing up.
Stay safe. Stay healthy.

Christine said...

Sounds wonderful!

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Delicious ideas! I'm having pork today with a big salad, but maybe a roast chicken is in the future.

mxtodis123 said...

Thank you so much for your support. I see a roast chicken in our future for sure.

Sue said...

Oh a chicken dinner, could it get any better! Take care, Sue xx

DVArtist said...

This is one of my childhood favorites too. My mom was an excellent cook. I guess she had to be with 6 kids. LOL Have a nice Sunday.

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

I like a nice chicken dinner but I did a chilli today.

Shari Burke said...

Oh, wow, that picture makes me a bit dizzy, but it is funny! I read a biography of Mrs Beeton 5 or 6 years ago--it was fascinating.

Elephant's Child said...

I remember when chicken was a 'high days and holidays' dish. I am very glad that it is more affordable now - though only two members of our household (including the cat) will eat it.

Jeanie said...

We are having roast chicken tonight. Rick is cooking and I don't know what recipe he is using but I wish he would be using yours!

Stay well!

Louca por porcelana said...

Great recipe!Thanks!Best wishes,Jan!

Chatty Crone said...

I love chicken! It would have been a good meal for today!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

A Sunday roast is wonderful, Jan. I love a nice roast chicken and all the leftovers to use during the week. Thank you as always for a lovely recipe.

Magic Love Crow said...

A virtual meal together! Excellent! I love chicken!! Big Hugs!

Conniecrafter said...

We have not done the virtual meal yet but I have heard of many others that had, this sounds like my kind of meal :)

Martha said...

A classic and delicious meal!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Reading this list is making me so hungry, Jan. Now I want to make a roasted chicken as soon as possible!