Crispy Roast Chicken with Drip-Tray Vegetables

Method19 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Use a cleaned whole chicken within the 1–1.2 kg range. Remove any giblet packet and remaining feathers, then pat the skin and cavity dry with kitchen towel. Keep raw-chicken utensils and surfaces separate from the vegetables and serving ingredients.

   Uses 1–1.2 kg whole raw chicken, cleaned, with giblets removed

2. 2

   Step 2: Rub the chicken inside and out with the 1 tbsp soya sauce. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes while preparing the vegetables.

   Marinate chicken · 20 minUses Prepared whole raw chicken · 1 tbsp soya sauce, for the chicken marinade

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash the pumpkin (800 g) with clean water and cut it into slices. Leave the skin on if desired, ensuring it is clean.

   Uses 800 g pumpkin, washed and sliced, skin on if desired · Clean water, for washing the pumpkin, tomatoes, carrots and baby spinach

4. 4

   Step 4: Wash the tomatoes (400 g) with clean water and cut them in half.

   Uses 400 g tomatoes, washed and halved · Clean water, for washing the pumpkin, tomatoes, carrots and baby spinach

5. 5

   Step 5: Brush the white mushrooms (400 g) clean with a soft brush and set them ready.

   Uses 400 g white mushrooms, brushed clean

6. 6

   Step 6: Wash and peel the carrots (400 g), then cut them into large chunks.

   Uses 400 g carrots, washed, peeled and cut into large chunks · Clean water, for washing the pumpkin, tomatoes, carrots and baby spinach

7. 7

   Step 7: Wash the baby spinach (125 g) with clean water unless it is already labelled pre-washed. Drain it well and keep all 125 g ready for the final garnish and side bowl, away from the raw chicken.

   Uses 125 g baby spinach leaves, for garnish and the side bowl · Clean water, for washing the pumpkin, tomatoes, carrots and baby spinach

8. 8

   Step 8: Arrange the prepared pumpkin, tomato halves, white mushrooms and carrot chunks on a large baking tray. Keep the spinach aside for serving.

   Uses Only the washed pumpkin slices, excluding wash water · Only the washed tomato halves, excluding wash water · Cleaned white mushrooms · Only the peeled, cut carrots, excluding wash water and peels

9. 9

   Step 9: Mix all 5 tbsp olive oil with ½ tsp of the salt. Drizzle this mixture evenly over the tray of prepared vegetables.

   Uses Prepared roasting vegetables on the tray · 5 tbsp olive oil, for the vegetables · ½ tsp salt, from the single 1½ tsp divided supply

10. 10

    Step 10: Take the marinated chicken from the refrigerator. Mix the 1 tbsp five-spice powder with the remaining 1 tsp salt. Rub the mixture over the chicken, including its folds and cavity.

    Uses Cold chicken after the twenty-minute soya-sauce marination · 1 tbsp five-spice powder, for the chicken · 1 tsp salt, the remaining measured share of the single 1½ tsp supply

11. 11

    Step 11: Fold the chicken’s wing tips backwards into a tight triangle shape.

    Uses Seasoned whole chicken

12. 12

    Step 12: Stand the chicken on a suitable vertical roasting rack, or lay it on a horizontal metal rack. Keep it above the vegetables rather than resting it directly on them.

    Uses Seasoned chicken with tucked wing tips

13. 13

    Step 13: Preheat the oven to 220°C with the fan setting on.

14. 14

    Step 14: Place the vegetable tray on the lowest oven rack and the chicken’s roasting rack above it so its drippings fall onto the vegetables.

    Uses Vegetable tray with its olive-oil and half-teaspoon salt dressing · Rack-mounted seasoned chicken

15. 15

    Step 15: Roast the chicken and vegetables at 220°C fan for about 15 minutes. Rotate the chicken roaster or rack carefully so the bird browns evenly.

    Roast first phase · 15 minUses Chicken above its dressed vegetable drip tray

16. 16

    Step 16: Roast for another 15 minutes, checking the skin periodically. If it is already browned, reduce the oven to 200°C. Continue as needed until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) in the thickest breast and innermost thigh and wing, and the vegetables are tender and hot throughout. Vegetables and drippings exposed to raw-chicken juices must also be thoroughly cooked and reach 74°C before serving.

    Roast second phase · 15 minUses Partly roasted chicken and vegetable drip tray after rotating the rack

17. 17

    Step 17: Remove the fully cooked chicken and tender, fully cooked vegetables from the oven. Keep the chicken on its rack while finishing the vegetable tray.

    Uses Fully cooked chicken with its cooked vegetable tray and hot drippings

18. 18

    Step 18: Scatter a few of the prepared spinach leaves over the roasted vegetables and put the rest in a separate side bowl. Drizzle some thoroughly cooked, hot chicken drippings over the vegetables as desired; leave any unused drippings behind.

    Uses Only the cooked vegetables and the desired hot, fully cooked drippings from the roast, leaving the chicken on its rack and surplus drippings aside · All washed, drained baby spinach from the 125 g supply, excluding washing water

19. 19

    Step 19: Lift the chicken from its roasting rack and place it on the finished vegetable tray. Serve immediately with the separate spinach side while the chicken skin is crisp.

    Uses Only the fully cooked chicken lifted from its roasting rack, excluding the vegetable tray and remaining drippings · Finished vegetable tray and the separate remaining-spinach side bowl