English Roast Chicken and Gravy

This recipe comes from my mother in law, who is from England. My husband ate this every Sunday growing up. It is important to have a meat thermometer handy so you don't have to cut into the chicken to see if it is done, otherwise you will end up with dry chicken. You can also add some par-boil potatoes the last 45 minutes to an hour for a complete meal. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 -4  lbs roasting chickens
• 2 -3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  onion
•  salt
•  pepper
•  onion powder
• 2 -3  tablespoons flour

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350°F.
2. Remove giblets, and rinse chicken. Dry chicken completely with paper towels (important). Place in a shallow roasting pan.
3. Rub with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, and with the salt, onion powder, and pepper.
4. Remove skin from an onion, cut in half, and place into microwave safe dish into microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, or just until soft.
5. Place half the onion in the chicken cavity, and put the other half pulled apart in pieces all around the chicken in the pan.
6. Roast chicken uncovered in the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours.
7. Insert meat thermometer. Temperature should be around 180°F (If you see red or pink juices coming out, it is definitely still raw).
8. Once fully cooked, remove chicken from pan, saving pan drippings and let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes.
9. Skim fat from pan drippings, and place pan on stove top on medium heat. (If there is a lot of juice, you may want to pour some off).
10. Slowly heat the juices and whisk in flour to desired gravy thickness. If the gravy becomes too thick, just thin it out with water. Add more onion powder if desired.