This Roast Chicken with 5-Spice Gravy and Bacon Fat Potatoes is the ultimate comfort food. The perfectly roasted chicken is golden and juicy, with a crispy skin that’s packed with flavour. The five-spice gravy adds a rich, savoury kick that elevates the whole dish, while the bacon fat potatoes are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and irresistibly delicious. It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone together around the table, perfect for Sunday roasts or a hearty family dinner. Best of all? It’s easy to make and will leave everyone asking for seconds!
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For the Roast Chicken:
1 x 1.6kg whole chicken
Sea salt
½ cup whole egg mayonnaise
1 bunch rosemary
2 brown onions, skin on, cut into thick, 2.5cm slices
For the Five-Spice Gravy:
120g unsalted butter
½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
3 cups chicken stock (store-bought or homemade )
1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to taste
1 tsp Chinese five spice
For the Bacon Fat Potatoes:
1kg baby potatoes
3 tbsp diced bacon fat
30g pork lard (or 2 tbsp)
Sea salt
Roughly chopped coriander (optional, for garnish)
- Set your oven to 240°C. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Use kitchen scissors to cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Turn the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and season generously with sea salt, making sure to rub it into the skin. If you have time, salt the bird overnight for maximum flavour. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
- Brush the entire chicken with mayonnaise, using a pastry brush for an even layer.
- Place a nest of rosemary in a carbon steel or roasting pan and add the sliced onions. Nestle the chicken on top and roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 75°C and the juices run clear when pierced at the thickest part of the thigh. Once cooked, remove the chicken and rest it for 10-20 minutes.
- While the chicken roasts, bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the baby potatoes for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot to dry out.
- Place a carbon steel or stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook for 10-12 minutes until the bacon crisps up and the fat renders. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the lard to the fat and heat until it starts to shimmer.
- Using tongs, carefully transfer the potatoes into the hot fat. Lightly crush them with a potato masher and season with sea salt. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Sprinkle with the reserved crispy bacon bits and coriander (if using), then serve.
- While the chicken rests, remove the pan juices, onions, and rosemary from the roasting pan and set aside. Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add the butter and cook until foaming. Whisk in the flour to form a paste. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, soy sauce, and five-spice. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until smooth. Return the reserved pan juices to the gravy and taste for seasoning, adding more soy sauce or salt if needed.
- Carve the chicken and serve it with the rich five-spice gravy and the crispy bacon fat potatoes. Enjoy a comforting and flavour-packed meal that will please the whole family.
