Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Whole chicken, 1.8 kg (about 4 lb)
- Unsalted butter, 3 tbsp (42 g), plus 2 tbsp (25 g) for carrots and 2 tbsp (25 g) for greens
- Lemon, 1 (zest + juice), plus extra wedges to serve
- Garlic, 1 bulb (half crushed, half in cavity) + 1 clove for greens
- Fresh rosemary and thyme, 1 tbsp each chopped, plus extra sprigs
- Olive oil, 1 tbsp
- Onions, 2; carrots, 2 (for chicken trivet)
- Low-salt chicken stock, 750 ml total (250 ml for roasting + 500 ml for gravy)
- Dry white wine, 150 ml (for gravy, optional but excellent)
- Plain flour, 140 g (1 cup); eggs, 4; whole milk, 200 ml; water, 50 ml; fine salt, 1/2 tsp; beef dripping or veg oil, 2 tbsp (Yorkshires)
- Floury potatoes (Maris Piper/Yukon Gold), 1.5 kg; goose fat, 100 g; fine salt; black pepper; 1 tbsp semolina (optional)
- Carrots, 600 g; honey, 2 tbsp; lemon juice, 1 tbsp; pinch salt
- Greens, 500 g (green beans + spring greens or tenderstem broccoli); lemon zest; salt and pepper
- Plain flour, 2 tbsp (for gravy); 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (to serve)
Do This
- 1) Make Yorkshire batter: whisk 140 g flour, 4 eggs, 200 ml milk, 50 ml water, 1/2 tsp salt until smooth. Rest 30+ minutes.
- 2) Roast chicken: heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F. Rub chicken with 3 tbsp butter, lemon zest, herbs, crushed garlic, salt and pepper; stuff with lemon and garlic. Set on onion/carrot trivet with 250 ml stock. Roast 50 minutes.
- 3) Potatoes: parboil 1.5 kg potatoes 8 minutes. Drain, rough up, dust with semolina (optional). Increase oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F. Heat 100 g goose fat in a roasting pan until smoking; add potatoes and roast 45–55 minutes, turning once.
- 4) Finish chicken: continue roasting with potatoes until the thigh reads 74°C/165°F, about 35–45 minutes more (total chicken cook ~1 hr 30 min). Rest 20–30 minutes.
- 5) Gravy: skim tray, stir in 2 tbsp flour; deglaze with 150 ml wine, add 500 ml stock. Simmer 5–7 minutes; season (soy/Dijon optional).
- 6) Yorkshires: raise oven to 230°C (210°C fan) / 450°F. Heat oiled muffin tin 10 minutes; fill 1/3 with batter, bake 18–22 minutes. Glaze carrots with butter/honey; toss greens with butter, garlic, lemon. Carve, serve, and pour gravy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A full Sunday roast game plan: perfectly timed so everything lands hot and crisp together.
- Golden, herby chicken with bright lemon and garlic, balanced by a deep, glossy tray-pan gravy.
- Shatter-crisp goose-fat potatoes and towering Yorkshire puddings made with a foolproof, rested batter.
- Fresh, vibrant sides: honey-glossed carrots and buttered greens for color and crunch.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 lemon, 1 garlic bulb + 1 clove, 2 onions, 2 carrots (for trivet), 600 g carrots (side), 500 g mixed greens (green beans + spring greens or tenderstem), fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, parsley
- Dairy: Unsalted butter (about 90 g total), whole milk (200 ml), eggs (4)
- Pantry: Whole chicken (about 1.8 kg), plain flour, olive oil, goose fat (or duck fat/veg oil), chicken stock (750 ml), dry white wine (optional), honey, soy sauce (optional), Dijon mustard (optional), fine sea salt, black pepper, semolina (optional)
Full Ingredients
Herb-Roasted Lemon-Garlic Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, about 1.8 kg (4 lb)
- 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 lemon: finely grated zest for the butter, the zested lemon halved for the cavity
- 1 bulb garlic: 3–4 cloves crushed for the butter, the rest halved through the equator for the cavity
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary + 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme, plus extra sprigs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fine sea salt + 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for seasoning)
- 2 onions, thickly sliced; 2 carrots, thick chunks (for the roasting trivet)
- 250 ml low-salt chicken stock or water (in the tray)
Goose-Fat Roast Potatoes
- 1.5 kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into large chunks
- 100 g goose fat (or duck fat or neutral oil)
- 1–2 tsp fine sea salt, plus flaky salt to finish
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp fine semolina (optional, for extra crunch)
Puffy Yorkshire Puddings
- 140 g plain (all-purpose) flour (1 cup, leveled)
- 4 large eggs
- 200 ml whole milk + 50 ml cold water
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp beef dripping or vegetable oil (for the tin)
Honeyed Carrots
- 600 g carrots, peeled and cut into batons or coins
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tbsp (25 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch salt and pepper
- 1 tsp chopped thyme or parsley (optional)
Buttered Greens
- 500 g mixed greens (green beans plus shredded spring greens or tenderstem broccoli)
- 2 tbsp (25 g) unsalted butter
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- Finely grated lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
- Salt and pepper
Rich Tray-Pan Gravy
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 150 ml dry white wine (or extra stock)
- 500 ml low-salt chicken stock
- 1 tsp soy sauce (optional, for color and umami)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- Lemon juice to taste (a squeeze brightens)
To Serve
- Chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make and rest the Yorkshire batter
In a bowl, whisk 140 g flour with 1/2 tsp fine salt. Add 4 eggs and whisk to a thick paste. Gradually whisk in 200 ml milk then 50 ml water until completely smooth. Transfer to a jug, cover, and rest at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours in the fridge). Resting relaxes gluten and helps tall, crisp puddings.
Step 2: Prep and start the chicken
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F. Mix 3 tbsp softened butter with the lemon zest, crushed garlic, 1 tbsp chopped rosemary, 1 tbsp chopped thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Place onion slices and carrot chunks in a large roasting tin; pour in 250 ml stock. Pat the chicken dry. Gently loosen the breast skin with your fingers and rub two-thirds of the herb butter under the skin; smear the rest over the outside. Stuff the cavity with the zested lemon halves, the remaining garlic bulb halves, and a few herb sprigs. Drizzle the chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Set the chicken breast-side up on the vegetable trivet and roast for 50 minutes.
Step 3: Parboil the potatoes and heat the fat
While the chicken starts roasting, place potato chunks into a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and parboil for 8 minutes until the edges are just tender. Drain well and let steam-dry 2 minutes. Shake the pot to rough up the edges; sprinkle with 1 tbsp semolina if using, plus a little salt and pepper. About 10 minutes before the chicken hits 50 minutes, put a large roasting pan with 100 g goose fat on the lower oven shelf to heat until shimmering.
Step 4: Turn up the heat; roast potatoes alongside the chicken
After the chicken has roasted for 50 minutes, increase the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot goose fat (it should sizzle), turning to coat. Return the pan to the lower shelf and the chicken to the upper shelf. Roast 45–55 minutes more, turning the potatoes once, until deeply golden and crisp. The chicken is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 74°C/165°F and the juices run clear; this will be about 35–45 minutes after increasing the heat (total chicken cook time roughly 1 hour 30 minutes).
Step 5: Rest the chicken and start the gravy
Transfer the chicken to a warm platter and tent loosely with foil. Rest 20–30 minutes. Spoon off and reserve excess fat from the roasting tin, leaving about 2 tbsp plus the browned bits and vegetables. Set the tin across two burners over medium heat. Stir in 2 tbsp flour and cook 1 minute, scraping up fond. Deglaze with 150 ml white wine, simmering and whisking until thick and smooth. Gradually whisk in 500 ml stock and simmer 5–7 minutes to a silky gravy. Season with salt, pepper, a splash of soy, a dab of Dijon, and a squeeze of lemon to brighten. Strain if you like; keep warm.
Step 6: Bake the Yorkshire puddings
Raise the oven to 230°C (210°C fan) / 450°F. Place a 12-hole muffin tin on a tray and add about 1/2 tsp beef dripping or oil to each cup (2 tbsp total). Heat 10 minutes until the fat is shimmering. Working quickly, pour rested batter into each cup to one-third full. Bake 18–22 minutes until well risen and deep golden. Do not open the oven door during baking. The potatoes can stay on the lower shelf during this time to get extra crisp.
Step 7: Honey-glaze the carrots
Put the carrot batons in a large skillet with 100 ml water and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until just tender. Uncover and add 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Bubble, tossing often, for 2–3 minutes until glossy and lightly caramelized. Season to taste and finish with chopped thyme or parsley.
Step 8: Butter the greens, carve, and serve
Blanch or steam the greens for 3–5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain well, then toss with 2 tbsp butter, the grated garlic clove, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Carve the rested chicken, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve with goose-fat roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, honeyed carrots, buttered greens, and a generous pour of tray-pan gravy.
Pro Tips
- Rested batter equals towering Yorkshires; overnight in the fridge is even better. Give it a quick whisk before pouring.
- Preheating the fat and tin for potatoes and Yorkshires is non-negotiable for maximum crisp and lift.
- Use a thermometer for the chicken. Pull at 74°C/165°F in the thigh and rest 20–30 minutes for juicy meat.
- Rough up potato edges after parboil; those starchy ridges turn into crackly crust in hot fat.
- Balance the gravy: taste at the end and adjust salt, acidity (lemon), and depth (soy or mustard) to your liking.
Variations
- Duck fat or high-heat vegetable oil can replace goose fat for the potatoes.
- Spatchcock the chicken to cut overall roasting time by about 15–20 minutes and yield extra-crisp skin.
- Add horseradish or wholegrain mustard to the gravy for a punchy finish, or stir in a spoon of redcurrant jelly for sweetness.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Yorkshire batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead and chilled. Parboil potatoes in the morning, rough them up, and cool on a tray; roast from cold in the evening (add 5 minutes). Season and butter the chicken under the skin up to 12 hours ahead; keep refrigerated and bring to room temp 30 minutes before roasting. Leftovers keep 3–4 days chilled: store chicken, potatoes, carrots, and greens in separate airtight containers; reheat at 180°C/160°C fan (350°F) until hot. Recrisp Yorkshires at 200°C/180°C fan (400°F) for 5–7 minutes. Gravy keeps 3 days chilled or up to 3 months frozen; reheat gently, thinning with a splash of stock or water as needed.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate: 1000 kcal; 45 g protein; 95 g carbohydrate; 45 g fat; 10 g saturated fat; 6 g fiber; 12 g sugars; 1650 mg sodium. Nutrition will vary with portion sizes, fat rendered, and gravy quantity.
