The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on Sunday in the US that they’re expecting their second child, so what better dish to cook this week than one of Meghan’s favourites. The duchess is a keen cook herself and even collaborated on a cookbook in 2018 titled Together: Our Community Cookbook. Indeed, on the night Prince Harry proposed, the couple were making a roast chicken together at their then Kensington Palace home, and many believe this is the exact recipe they followed. The recipe is from the American queen of the kitchen, Ina Garten, and the duchess has called it a “game changer” in past interviews. Well, if it’s good enough for a royal, it’s good enough for us! Happy cooking.
1. Preheat the oven to 220C degrees.
2. Remove chicken giblets. Rinse chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat chicken dry with paper towel. Place chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper inside of chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of the lemon, and all the garlic. Brush outside of the chicken with butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under body of the chicken. Scatter onion slices around chicken.
3. Roast chicken for 1-1/2 hours, or until juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare gravy.
4. Remove all fat from the bottom of the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons in a small cup. Add chicken stock to pan and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, until reduced, scraping bottom of the pan. Combine the 2 tablespoons of chicken fat with flour and add to pan. Boil for a few minutes to cook the flour. Strain gravy into a small saucepan and season it to taste. Serve chicken with gravy and sides of your choosing.