This easy and delicious Mary Berry recipe for Two Roast Chickens with creamy scalloped potatoes is perfect for a comforting dinner. Packed with flavour and simple to prepare, it uses common ingredients you probably have at home. Roasted to golden perfection, it’s a meal the whole family will love!

This Two Roast Chickens Is From Cook And Share Cookbook by Mary Berry

Ingredients Needed

For the Chickens:

2 oven-ready whole chickens (about 1.75kg/3lb 14oz each)
8 fresh bay leaves
Small bunch of sage leaves
1 large lemon, halved
55g butter, softened
1 tbsp paprika
1 large bulb garlic, halved horizontally
150ml white wine
300ml chicken stock
55g plain flour
A little gravy browning (optional)

For the Scalloped Potatoes:

1.2kg peeled potatoes, very thinly sliced into discs
1 onion, thinly sliced
55g butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
600ml chicken stock

How To Make Two Roast Chickens

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas 6. Grease a shallow 1.8-litre ovenproof dish.
Prepare the chickens: Place the chickens on a board. Stuff each chicken with half the bay leaves, a third of the sage, and one lemon half.
Season the chickens: Mix the softened butter with paprika and spread it over the chicken breasts. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Prepare the roasting tin: Place the remaining sage, garlic, white wine, and chicken stock in the base of a large roasting tin. Put a grill rack on top and place the chickens side by side on the rack.
Prepare the scalloped potatoes: In the prepared ovenproof dish, layer the sliced potatoes, starting with a layer of potato. Top with some onion, butter cubes, and a little chicken stock, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers, finishing with a final layer of potatoes. Cover with buttered foil.
Roast the chickens and potatoes: Place the chickens on the top shelf of the oven and the potatoes on the shelf below. Roast for about 1½ hours, checking halfway through. After 45 minutes, remove the foil from the potatoes. If the chickens are browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil. The chickens should be golden and cooked through, and the potatoes tender.
Make the gravy: Remove the chickens and potatoes from the oven and cover them with foil to rest. Strain the juices and stock from the roasting tin into a jug, skimming off as much fat as possible. You’ll need 450ml of liquid for the gravy—top up with extra stock if necessary.
Thicken the gravy: Return the fat to the roasting tin, sprinkle in the plain flour, and stir over the heat for a few seconds. Gradually whisk in the strained stock until the gravy thickens and becomes smooth. Adjust seasoning and add a little gravy browning if you like.
Serve: Carve the chickens and serve with the scalloped potatoes, gravy, and a green vegetable of your choice.

Recipe Tips

Stuff the chicken with herbs: Adding bay leaves, sage, and lemon inside the chicken’s cavity gives it a delicious flavour. Don’t skip this step for extra taste.
Check the chicken’s temperature: To make sure the chickens are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 75°C (165°F).
Don’t skip the foil on the potatoes: Cover the potatoes with foil for the first 45 minutes to prevent them from drying out and to help them cook evenly.
Rest the chickens before carving: Let the roasted chickens rest under foil for 10 minutes before carving. This keeps the juices inside and makes the meat more tender.
Adjust the gravy thickness: If your gravy is too thin, simply whisk in a bit more flour. If it’s too thick, add a little extra stock to reach your desired consistency.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftovers two roast chickens in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You leftovers two roast chickens can freeze the chicken separately for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Warm leftovers two roast chicken in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, microwave for 2-3 minutes, or heat on the stovetop with a little stock for 5-7 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of the whole chicken)

Calories: 250
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 70mg
Sodium: 70mg
Potassium: 350mg
Total Carbohydrate: 0g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 35g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

Mary Berry Two Roast Chickens

Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Calories

250

kcal

Ingredients

For the Chickens:
2 oven-ready whole chickens (about 1.75kg/3lb 14oz each)
8 fresh bay leaves
Small bunch of sage leaves
1 large lemon, halved
55g butter, softened
1 tbsp paprika
1 large bulb garlic, halved horizontally
150ml white wine
300ml chicken stock
55g plain flour
A little gravy browning (optional)
For the Scalloped Potatoes:
1.2kg peeled potatoes, very thinly sliced into discs
1 onion, thinly sliced
55g butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
600ml chicken stock

Directions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas 6. Grease a shallow 1.8-litre ovenproof dish.
Prepare the chickens: Place the chickens on a board. Stuff each chicken with half the bay leaves, a third of the sage, and one lemon half.
Season the chickens: Mix the softened butter with paprika and spread it over the chicken breasts. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Prepare the roasting tin: Place the remaining sage, garlic, white wine, and chicken stock in the base of a large roasting tin. Put a grill rack on top and place the chickens side by side on the rack.
Prepare the scalloped potatoes: In the prepared ovenproof dish, layer the sliced potatoes, starting with a layer of potato. Top with some onion, butter cubes, and a little chicken stock, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers, finishing with a final layer of potatoes. Cover with buttered foil.
Roast the chickens and potatoes: Place the chickens on the top shelf of the oven and the potatoes on the shelf below. Roast for about 1½ hours, checking halfway through. After 45 minutes, remove the foil from the potatoes. If the chickens are browning too quickly, cover them loosely with foil. The chickens should be golden and cooked through, and the potatoes tender.
Make the gravy: Remove the chickens and potatoes from the oven and cover them with foil to rest. Strain the juices and stock from the roasting tin into a jug, skimming off as much fat as possible. You’ll need 450ml of liquid for the gravy—top up with extra stock if necessary.
Thicken the gravy: Return the fat to the roasting tin, sprinkle in the plain flour, and stir over the heat for a few seconds. Gradually whisk in the strained stock until the gravy thickens and becomes smooth. Adjust seasoning and add a little gravy browning if you like.
Serve: Carve the chickens and serve with the scalloped potatoes, gravy, and a green vegetable of your choice.

Notes

Stuff the chicken with herbs: Adding bay leaves, sage, and lemon inside the chicken’s cavity gives it a delicious flavour. Don’t skip this step for extra taste.
Check the chicken’s temperature: To make sure the chickens are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 75°C (165°F).
Don’t skip the foil on the potatoes: Cover the potatoes with foil for the first 45 minutes to prevent them from drying out and to help them cook evenly.
Rest the chickens before carving: Let the roasted chickens rest under foil for 10 minutes before carving. This keeps the juices inside and makes the meat more tender.
Adjust the gravy thickness: If your gravy is too thin, simply whisk in a bit more flour. If it’s too thick, add a little extra stock to reach your desired consistency.