Easy roast chicken and vegetables
A fast family roast with gravy that’s designed to be economical but very delicious. It’s almost all cooked in one roasting tin in the oven, so you’ll be saving washing up and using your hob less too. If your roasting tin isn’t large enough to hold the chicken and vegetables without piling the vegetables up, use two tins instead.
This recipe is part of a Budget meal plan for four. In October 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of £3.23 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 800g/1lb 12oz potatoes, unpeeled and cut into roughly 3cm/1¼in chunks
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthways
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut in half lengthways
- 1 small whole chicken (around 1.3kg/2lb 14oz), see recipe tip if using meal plan
- 250g/9oz frozen peas
- salt and ground black pepper
For the gravy
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 350ml/12fl oz hot chicken stock, made with 1 chicken stock cube
- ½ tsp soy sauce (preferably dark)
Method
Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½. Put the potatoes, carrots and parsnips in a large bowl and toss with the oil, a little salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Scatter the vegetables over a large roasting tin or baking tray. Make a gap in the middle for the chicken, and place breast-side up. Snip off the butcher's string from the chicken and season with salt and ground black pepper.
Roast the chicken and vegetables for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and turn the vegetables. Return to the oven for a further 30–40 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the breast and thigh are pierced with a skewer or tip of a knife. (If your chicken is larger than the recommended size, it will take longer to cook.)
Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a board, cover with foil and a couple of tea towels to keep warm and rest for 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large serving dish and keep warm. (If you turn off the oven and leave it slightly ajar, you can keep the vegetables warm inside.)
To make the gravy, pour the oil into a small saucepan and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Place over medium heat and slowly add the chicken stock, just a little at a time, stirring constantly (for extra tasty gravy see tip below).
Add the soy sauce for a little extra colour and simmer gently for 2–3 mins or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the peas according to the packet instructions in the microwave or on the hob and drain.
Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted vegetables, peas and gravy. (If following the meal plan for four, you will need to save some roast chicken for another recipe. See the recipe tips for more information.)
Recipe Tips
For an extra tasty gravy, remove all the chicken and vegetables from the roasting tin. Add the gravy, made as in the recipe above, and 4–5 tablespoons water to the tin. Scrape up all the pan juices using a wooden spoon or spatula. Pour back into the gravy saucepan and reheat together until bubbling. Strain through a sieve before serving.
If your carrots are particularly large, cut into quarters lengthways instead of halves. Don’t let them become too narrow though, as they need to cook for the same length of time as the chicken. If they are particularly small, add a few extra and cook whole, adding to the roasting tin 15 minutes after the chicken begins to cook.
If the vegetables begin to overcook before the chicken is ready, transfer to another tin then return to the oven to reheat while the chicken is resting.
Once the chicken has cooled after serving, you can take any remaining meat off the bones. Discard the skin and cover the meat. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Use in the Creamy chicken and rice recipe which is also part of the Budget meal plan for four.
If family members aren’t keen on parsnips, swap for extra potatoes instead.