Family Favourite Thyme-Roasted Chicken
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings
- Preparation
- 20 minutes
- Cooking
- About 2 hours–2 hours 15 minutes, plus 10 minutes resting; follow pack instructions
- Total time
- About 2 hours 30 minutes–2 hours 45 minutes
Heat / oven setting200°C conventional / 180°C fan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 2.25kg, fully defrosted | |
| 1200g | |
| 6 | |
| 1.5 | |
| 1.5 | |
| 6 | |
| 3 tbsp | |
| 9 sprigs | |
| A small pinch |
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Equipment
- Digital scales, measuring jug and spoons
- Clean chopping boards and sharp knife
- Mixing bowl
- Clean serving utensils
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Large roasting tray
- Carving knife and fork
- Clean carving board
- Clean food thermometer
- Extra baking tray or larger pan/dish if needed for six servings
Method
Prepare vegetables
Wash hands and prepare the workstation. Preheat the oven. Put potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic into a roasting tray with 1.5 tbsp oil. Toss to coat. Use pans and trays large enough for six servings. Cook in batches if needed; keep pieces the same size and allow extra time for batches. For baked dishes, use a wider dish to keep the original depth.
Prepare chicken
Do not wash raw chicken. Place the chicken in the tray, rub with remaining oil and add thyme and black pepper. Place lemon alongside. Wash hands and sanitise all raw-chicken contact areas.
Roast
Roast for approximately 2 hours–2 hours 15 minutes for a 2.25kg bird, following the chicken pack instructions if longer. Turn vegetables halfway, keeping utensils that touch raw juices separate from serving utensils.
Check doneness
Check the thickest pieces reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds with a clean food thermometer; keep cooking and recheck if necessary. Probe the thickest breast and inner thigh away from bone. Continue roasting until both are safely cooked.
Rest
Lift chicken onto a clean board and rest loosely covered for 10 minutes. Keep vegetables hot.
Carve and serve
Carve with care using a sharp knife. Divide meat and vegetables into six portions.
Portion for six
Divide the finished dish evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Keep raw meat separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food. Do not wash raw poultry; wash hands and sanitise utensils after raw meat contact.
- Use a cleaned food thermometer for meat and egg dishes: the centre should reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds, or an equivalent safe time and temperature. Timings are a guide; size and equipment affect cooking.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Chicken supplies protein; potatoes supply carbohydrate. Carrots add fibre and beta-carotene. Removing the skin can lower fat intake.
Practical skills
Roasting, coordinating timings, probing a whole bird and carving.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Classroom adaptation written from the recipe title in your collection. Review portions, ingredients and timings with your teacher before a practical.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.