Roasting a chicken needn't be difficult. Here's a simple step by step guide to preparing the perfect bird, from choosing it to using leftovers to make stock and gravy
Line the base of your roasting tray with chopped carrots, celery and shallots. Sit the meat on top of the vegetables, then add chopped-up chicken wings to the tray making sure that they don't touch the meat of the roast itself. Add butter and a little water. Don't add salt; you can always season the gravy later, but you can't remove it. Add a glass of wine half way through the cooking time to keep everything moist.
When the meat is cooked take it out of the tray. Put the tray with the rest of its contents onto the hob and cook for a few minutes to let the flavours bind. Add more wine and seasoning according to taste. Drain the mixture through a sieve and discard the chopped vegetables, the bones and the trimmings.
Lift the fat off with a spoon. You will be left with a nice brown liquid, this is the jus. Bring it to boil in a pan. Don't be tempted to thicken it with gravy granules or corn-flour. The gravy as it is at this stage is thinner but intensely flavoured.
Download our poster guide how to handle your bird
Check out our great chicken recipes here
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