Mary Berry has shared lots of roast dinner recipes throughout her career, including roast potatoes and her famous Yorkshire puddings. This recipe is her succulent roast chicken, ready in under an hour-and-a-half, paired with a delicious homemade gravy.
The recipe notes said: "A roast chicken seems to me to be the ultimate comfort meal for all the family. And it's so versatile. Serve as a classic Sunday dinner with roast potatoes, or with a selection of salads or side dishes."
Ingredients:- 50g butter, softened
- One garlic clove, crushed
- One heaped teaspoon of finely grated fresh root ginger
- One tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon
- Half a lemon, grated zest only
- One free-range oven-ready chicken
- Two large onions, very thickly sliced
- One to two tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the gravy:
- 45g plain flour
- 100ml dry white wine
- 500ml chicken stock
- One tablespoon of redcurrant jelly
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Dash of gravy browning
- One tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200C°C/180°C fan and then mix the butter, garlic, ginger, tarragon and lemon zest in a small bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Loosen the skin of the chicken breast by gently pushing your fingers between the skin and meat, taking care not to break the skin. Using your hand, spread the butter under the skin in an even layer.
Transfer the chicken to a roasting tin and scatter the onions around it. Rub a little oil over the skin and legs, and season.
Roast for around one to one-and-a-half hours, or until the chicken is cooked. The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear. Transfer to a board to rest. Remove the onions to a hot serving bowl.
To make the gravy, sprinkle the flour over the fat in the roasting tin and whisk until combined. Pour in the wine and stock and whisk over medium heat until thickened and smooth.
Whisk in the redcurrant jelly, Worcestershire sauce and gravy browning. Pour through a sieve into a jug, stir in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
Carve the chicken and serve with the onions and gravy alongside delicious roast potatoes and vegetables.
