To slow roast a whole free-range chicken, begin by preheating your oven to 120°C. This low and slow method ensures that the chicken becomes incredibly tender and juicy.
How to Make Slow Roast Whole Free Range Chicken
While the oven is heating, prepare the base for your roasting tin. Chop a carrot, a stick of celery, and an onion, then spread these vegetables across the bottom of the tin. Add a couple of bay leaves and a few unpeeled garlic cloves for additional flavour. A pinch of celery seeds sprinkled over the top will enhance the aromatic profile of your dish.
Next, position the chicken on a rack above the vegetables. This allows the juices to drip down, infusing the vegetables with rich, savoury flavours while keeping the bird elevated and ensuring even cooking.
Place the roasting tin in the preheated oven and roast for 4 to 5 hours. This gentle, prolonged cooking time will result in a beautifully moist and tender chicken, perfect for any occasion.
It's done when the juices run clear.
Rest the bird.
Pour hot chicken stock into the roasting pan together with a splodge of tomato puree and a dollop of Dijon mustard. Stir and heat over a high flame to make a delicious gravy to go with your slow-roasted chicken.
If roast chicken is your thing, you may like this.
Free-range chicken offers numerous benefits. These birds live in a more natural environment, with access to the outdoors, which enhances their welfare and overall quality of life. The result is meat that is typically more flavourful and nutritious, often containing higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins.
Additionally, free-range farming practices tend to be more sustainable, reducing the need for antibiotics and promoting biodiversity.
Consumers can also feel more confident in the ethical treatment of the animals, contributing to more humane and environmentally friendly food production.
Choosing free-range chicken supports better health and ethical eating practices.
This recipe is part of my easy chicken dinner ideas collection — a complete guide to cooking every cut, every style, from Casa Adora and the road.
Wonky photos, proper chicken, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef.
