Roast Chicken & Easy Pan Gravy - Simple Christmas Dinner Main

The star of your Christmas dinner made incredibly simple! Use a pre-stuffed chicken to save money and time, then turn the pan juices and your saved roast potato water into the easiest, most delicious gravy. Perfect centrepiece for your Savvy Suppers feast.

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus 15 minutes resting)
• Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Serves: 6-8
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Roasting tin, foil

This is the showstopping centrepiece of your Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner, and it could not be simpler to prepare. The clever money-saving trick here is buying a chicken that's already stuffed with sage and onion stuffing - it's actually cheaper than buying the chicken and stuffing separately, plus it saves you time and effort. Simply pop it in the oven and let it roast to golden perfection while you prepare all your other dishes. Once it's rested, you'll have a beautiful golden bird ready to carve, plus a roasting tin full of delicious pan juices. This is where the magic happens - those pan juices combined with the flavoured water you saved from boiling your roast potatoes (remember that liquid gold?) creates the most incredible, easy gravy in just minutes. No stock cubes needed, though you could add one if you used it in your potato water. The result is a succulent, perfectly roasted chicken with stuffing already inside, served with rich, flavourful gravy that tastes like you've been slaving away for hours. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and their beautiful purple flowers if you can find them for a simple way to make it look fancy and absolutely beautiful. This is part of my Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner series - affordable, delicious, and stress-free.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Pre-stuffed saves money: Buying pre-stuffed chicken is cheaper than buying them separately and saves prep time
• Easiest gravy ever: Use your saved roast potato water with the pan juices for instant flavour
• Simple but impressive: Looks spectacular on the table with minimal effort required
• Perfect timing: Roasts while you prep everything else, making your Christmas cooking stress-free
• Feeds a crowd: A 1.5kg chicken easily serves 6-8 people with all your sides

Ingredients

For the Roast Chicken:

• 1 x 1.5kg whole chicken, pre-stuffed with sage and onion stuffing
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh sage leaves and flowers for garnish (optional but beautiful)

For the Easy Pan Gravy:

• Pan juices from the roasted chicken
• 500ml reserved roast potato water (the flavoured water from boiling your Ultimate Roast Potatoes)
• 2-3 tablespoons corn flour or plain flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Roasting the Chicken:

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F). Position the rack in the centre of the oven.

2. Prepare the chicken: Remove the pre-stuffed chicken from its packaging and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Place it in a roasting tin. Rub the olive oil or melted butter all over the skin of the chicken, making sure to coat it evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Roast the chicken: Place the chicken in the preheated oven and roast for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. The skin should be golden brown and crispy. If it's browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil. A 1.5kg chicken typically takes about 20 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 20 minutes.

4. Check it's cooked: Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear, not pink. Alternatively, use a meat thermometer - it should read 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh.

5. Rest the chicken: Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and carefully transfer it to a serving platter or carving board. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes. This is crucial - it allows the juices to redistribute, making the meat more tender and easier to carve. While it's resting, you can make the gravy.

6. Save the pan juices: Don't wash that roasting tin! All those delicious caramelised bits and juices at the bottom are the foundation of your incredible gravy.

Making the Easy Pan Gravy:

7. Heat the roasting tin: Place the roasting tin with all its pan juices directly on the hob over medium heat. If your tin is too large for your hob, carefully pour the pan juices into a saucepan.

8. Add potato water: Pour in about 200ml of your reserved roast potato water (the flavoured water you saved when draining your potatoes). Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious caramelised bits stuck to the bottom of the tin. This is where so much flavour lives - don't leave it behind!

9. Make a cornflour paste: In a small bowl or cup, mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornflour (or plain flour) with about 3-4 tablespoons of cold water to make a smooth paste. Mix well so there are no lumps.

10. Add the paste: Pour the cornflour paste into the bubbling pan juices, stirring constantly as you pour. Keep stirring to prevent lumps from forming.

11. Add more potato water: Gradually add the remaining potato water (about 300ml more), stirring constantly. The gravy will start to thicken as it heats. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

12. Cook to desired consistency: Let the gravy simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired consistency. If it's too thick, add more potato water or regular water. If it's too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to reduce, or add a bit more cornflour paste.

13. Season and taste: Taste your gravy and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remember, the potato water already has salt and flavourings in it, so taste before adding too much.

14. Strain (optional): If you want silky-smooth gravy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jug or gravy boat. Otherwise, serve it rustic with all the bits - it's delicious either way!

Serving:

15. Garnish the chicken: If you have fresh sage leaves and their beautiful purple flowers, arrange them artistically around or on top of the rested chicken. This simple garnish makes it look fancy and absolutely beautiful.

16. Carve and serve: Carve the chicken at the table for maximum impact, or slice in the kitchen and arrange on a platter. Serve immediately with the hot gravy and all your Savvy Suppers sides.

Chef's Tips

For the juiciest chicken: Don't skip the resting time! Those 15 minutes make a huge difference. The chicken will be more tender and the juices won't run all over your carving board.

Pre-stuffed is brilliant: It's actually cheaper to buy pre-stuffed chicken than buying a plain chicken and stuffing separately. Plus it saves you the faff of stuffing it yourself!

Save that potato water: This is the genius move! That flavoured water from boiling your roast potatoes (with all its herbs, onion, garlic, and potato starch) makes the most incredible gravy base. Never throw it away!

Stock cube option: If you added a stock cube to your potato boiling water, your gravy will be even richer. If you didn't, you could add half a stock cube to the gravy if you want extra depth.

Thickening agent: Cornflour creates a glossier, smoother gravy, while plain flour creates a more traditional, slightly thicker gravy. Both work perfectly.

Timing is everything: Put the chicken in the oven first, then prepare your roast potatoes while it cooks. By the time the chicken is rested, your potatoes will be nearly done.

Substitutions & Variations

Plain chicken: If you can't find pre-stuffed chicken, buy a plain one and either stuff it yourself with shop-bought stuffing mix, or roast it unstuffed and make the stuffing separately.

Different stuffing: Look for chickens with different stuffing flavours - lemon and herb, cranberry and orange, or chestnut stuffing all work beautifully.

Extra flavour: Before roasting, stuff lemon wedges, onion quarters, and fresh herbs into the cavity for extra flavour.

Crispy skin: For extra-crispy skin, increase the oven temperature to 200°C for the final 15 minutes of cooking.

Herb butter: Mix softened butter with chopped fresh herbs and carefully spread it under the skin before roasting.

No potato water? Use chicken stock or vegetable stock instead. The potato water just adds extra flavour and body.

Giblet gravy: If your chicken came with giblets, simmer them in water while the chicken roasts, then use that liquid for your gravy.

Wine addition: Add a splash of white wine to the roasting tin when making the gravy for extra depth.

Storage & Reheating

Leftover chicken: Store carved leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Use in sandwiches, salads, pies, or soups.

Leftover gravy: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if it's too thick.

Freezing chicken: Freeze cooked chicken meat (without bones) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Freezing gravy: Gravy freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat, stirring well as it may separate slightly.

Reheating chicken: Reheat sliced chicken in gravy in a covered dish at 160°C for 15-20 minutes until piping hot throughout. Or microwave in short bursts, covered, until hot.

Christmas Day timing: For a 2pm lunch, put the chicken in the oven at 11:30am. It will be ready by 1pm, giving you time to rest it and make gravy while everything else finishes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know when the chicken is cooked? A: Pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer - the juices should run clear, not pink. Or use a meat thermometer: it should read 75°C in the thigh. The legs should also move freely when wiggled.

Q: Can I use the stuffing from inside the chicken? A: Yes! Scoop it out when carving and serve it on the side. Be careful as it will be very hot.

Q: What if I don't have roast potato water? A: Use chicken or vegetable stock instead. The potato water just adds extra flavour and natural thickening from the potato starch, but stock works perfectly fine.

Q: My gravy is lumpy. How do I fix it? A: Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pan. Or blend it briefly with a stick blender. To prevent lumps, always mix the cornflour with cold water first before adding to the hot liquid.

Q: Can I cook the chicken at a different temperature? A: Yes, you can roast at 200°C (180°C fan) for about 1 hour 15 minutes for crispier skin, or at 160°C (140°C fan) for about 1 hour 45 minutes for gentler cooking. Adjust timing as needed and always check it's cooked through.

Q: Do I have to rest the chicken? A: Yes! Resting is crucial. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat rather than running out onto the carving board. It makes a huge difference to how juicy the meat is.

You Might Also Like

Ultimate Roast Potatoes - The essential side dish for this roast chicken, plus you'll need to save that potato water for the gravy!

Peas with Caramelised Onions and Lemon Garlic Breadcrumbs - A delicious green vegetable side that pairs perfectly with roast chicken.

Courgette, Feta & Chilli Salad - A fresh, zingy salad from the Savvy Suppers menu that cuts through the richness of the roast.

Cheats Trifle - Made with yogurt instead of custard, its a real treat and easy to make!

Enjoy!

Del x

The first part of this Christmas dinner could not have been simpler! A golden roast chicken with sage and onion stuffing, plus the easiest pan gravy made from those delicious pan juices and your saved roast potato water. The centrepiece of your Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner - simple, affordable, and absolutely delicious. Part of my Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner series.