Remember to hang onto the carcass from the chicken to use for stock
Ingredients£3.85
1 x 3lb Whole Chicken
2x 85g packet Sage and Onion Stuffing
300ml boiling water
1 onion quartered with skin on
Baste
Ingredients£0.10
1 tsp Marmite
1tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Worcester sauce
2 tsp Sunflower oil
Gravy
Ingredients £0.02
¾ pt chicken stock
3 tblsp Yorkshire pudding mixture
Or
2 tblsp plain flour, ½ tsp salt, cold water mixed to consistency of double cream
Method
1. Mix the Sage and Onion stuffing with the boiling water and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. If there are giblets, which is very unusual these days, set aside for giblet gravy. Meanwhile wash the chicken inside and out and then pat the skin dry.
3. Put the baste ingredients in order except for the oil and blend well then add the oil and mix thoroughly. If you add the oil before blending in the marmite it will not blend in thoroughly and stays in tiny lumps.
4. Use your hand to loosen the skin at the neck of the bird and use 1/3 of the stuffing in this neck cavity and a bit under the skin. Stuff the body cavity with the rest.
5. Insert 2 tooth pick each side of the body cavity hole and use string or cotton to pull them together and hold in the stuffing. Tuck the neck flap under the bird. Weigh the bird including the stuffing.
6. Preheat an oven to 200°C. Spray the bottom of a roasting tin with oil and place the onion quarters in the middle of the tin and place the chicken on top of this. So it doesn’t touch the bottom of the tin. Brush with all of the baste. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes per pound and 20 minutes extra.
7. Take the Chicken out of the oven and place on a carving board, cover with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
8. To make the gravy, add stock to the roasting tin including the onion from under the bird on a medium heat on the hob and stir to incorporate the meat juices from the bottom of the pan. Once beginning to bubble add the Yorkshire pudding or flour mixture and stir constantly for 5 minutes until thickened. Strain through a sieve into a jug and serve with the roast chicken.
9. Remove the stuffing from the neck and body of the chicken and put in to a serving bowl. Carve the meat from the chicken and serve along with the stuffing, gravy and crunchy roast potatoes and other vegetable dishes.