Saucier Roast Chicken

50 mins
Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Bring all the brine ingredients to a simmer for 1 minute and allow to cool completely.
  2. 2Add the chicken to the cooled brine and leave it in the fridge overnight, or up to 24 hours.
  3. 3Thoroughly rinse off the chicken and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
  4. 4Remove the wishbone by cutting a V-shape and fishing it out to make it easier to carve.
  5. 5Truss the chicken using a 2.5-meter piece of butcher's twine, securing the wings against the body and around the breast, then legs, and finally tying it off at the back.
  6. 6Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, lemon, and herbs from the brining process to the saucier pan with a splash of olive oil and mix them.
  7. 7Brush the chicken with some melted butter and season it with salt and pepper.
  8. 8Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the pan.
  9. 9Cook the chicken in the oven at 240°C for 25 minutes.
  10. 10Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and cook for another 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 65°C.
  11. 11Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest.
  12. 12Place the pan with the vegetables and drippings on the hob over medium heat.
  13. 13Remove the lemon pieces from the pan.
  14. 14Add flour to the pan and mix it with the vegetables.
  15. 15Cook the mixture until the base of the pan has a bit of color.
  16. 16Deglaze the pan with dry white wine and cook it out for a few minutes.
  17. 17Add chicken stock to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
  18. 18Strain the gravy mixture into a smaller pan.
  19. 19Reduce the gravy to your desired consistency or add chicken gravy granules as a thickener.
  20. 20Serve the gravy on the bottom of a plate, topped with a piece of carved chicken and fries.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 L water
  • 36 g salt
  • 2.5 g sodium bicarb
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 head garlic
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • splash olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • dry white wine
  • chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp chicken gravy granules

Equipment

saucier panovenwhiskmeat thermometerknifecutting boardmeasuring spoonsbowltongskitchen paperbutcher's twinestrainer

Tips

  • To remove the wishbone, cut a V-shape and fish it out to make carving easier after cooking.
  • Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels or leave it in the fridge for a few hours to dry properly for a crispier skin.
  • The low salt-brine ratio allows the chicken to be left in the fridge for up to 24 hours without becoming too salty.
  • For gravy, you can use chicken gravy granules as a thickener, a common restaurant technique.
  • Serve gravy at the bottom of the plate with the chicken and fries.