Gluten free roast chicken is an allergen friendly version of the roast chickens from the grocer. This dish is easy to make and tastes just like the roast chickens from the deli. Perfect for a family dinner and excellent for making leftover meals from.
Jump to:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Ingredient Low Down and Notes
- Instructions/Directions and Tips
- Substitutions
- Variations/Adaptations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Storage
- Top Tip
- Leftover Ideas for Gluten Free Roast Chicken
- What To Serve With Dairy Free Roast Chicken
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
- Latest Posts
Why We Like This Recipe
Back before we had allergies one of our family’s favourite easy dinners was to grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli. It was already cooked and hot, ready to eat. Little fuss and an easy dinner for our family. Things changed with allergies, those beloved chickens were no longer on the list of our safe foods and we missed them. This gluten free roast chicken recipe is one we created and make a lot to replace it. It is not as easy as grabbing a pre-made dinner from the store but it is 100% safe for us. With it being roasted we can often fit in a game with the kids while it cooks. We also make 2 most days and keep the extra chicken for leftovers and to be used in other dishes.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- Whole Chicken
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Potato Skin Peelings
- Water
The Rub:
- Brown Sugar
- Smoked Paprika
- Oregano
- Marjoram
- Garlic Powder
- Pepper
- Salt
- Cumin
- Chilli Powder
The Gravy:
- Chicken Stock
- Potato water, see note 4
- Cornstarch
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Low Down and Notes
Chicken
This works best with a whole chicken, don’t get the spatchcocked chicken where the spine has been removed so it can lay flat. If you do end up with a spatchcocked chicken, put the rub in an oven safe bowl, like a french onion soup bowl or creme brûlée dish and fill it ¾ full with water. Put the bowl under the chicken so it is arched over the bowl.This will help keep the extra rub out of the gravy but let it flavour the meat. If the extra rub goes in the gravy it tends to over power the flavour of the chicken.
Veggies
Just wash the veggies and rough cut them. There is zero need to peel or mince them to a certain size. They are being used to add flavour to the gravy and will be mashed and composted at the end so don’t spend tons of time on making them perfect.
Potato Peelings
If you are having mashed potatoes or any other potato dish with this roast chicken main course add 3-4 potatoes worth of skin peelings to the roasting pan. They should be scrubbed and washed clean before peeling. The skins will add natural starch to help thicken the gravy later on in the cooking.
Spices
Make sure the spices are free from cross contact. Many are processed on shared lines. A call to the manufacturer can help find the spices that are safest for you. You can also use fresh spices in doubled quantities from the recipe. Strip the leaves from the stems and only use the leaves.
Potato Water
Use the bottom starchiest part of the water from boiling potatoes. Mashed potatoes is one of the best side dishes for this recipe. The water for boiling the potatoes used to make mashed potatoes is what is used here. If a different side dish is being made the potato water can be replaced with more chicken stock.
Corn Starch
If corn is not safe for your family, arrowroot, tapioca starch, or rice flour can easily be substituted to help the gravy thicken. It is really important to mix the starch with an equal part of water before adding it to the gravy. If the starch goes in as a powder it will form clumps and make the gravy all lumpy.
Instructions/Directions and Tips
How to make the gluten free roast chicken rub:
Step 1
Mix all the rub ingredients together well in a small bowl.
Step 2
Pat the chicken skin down to dry it off with a few paper towels to remove any excess moisture from the skin. It is best to use paper towels as they can be tossed right after drying the chicken.This will help the rub stick to the skin and give a nice crispy skin.
Step 3
Rub all but 2 tsps of the rub all over the skin of the chicken. Get both the front and the back of the bird and under the wings and all over the drumsticks for the best flavour. The more evenly and in the crevices the rub is the better the meat will taste. Set aside the chicken while getting the oven and pan ready.
How to cook the chicken:
Step 1
Move the racks in the oven down to accommodate a standing chicken in a roasting pan. They may need to have one removed or lowered substantially to make sure the chicken is not too close to the top. Check and see which elements turn on to not place the chicken too close to them or the skin may burn if it is the top. If the bottom elements are the ones that are used more water may need to be added during the cooking so it doesn’t go dry.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to bake or roast at 425 F. The setting depends on what your oven has available. If using convection then drop the temperature by 25 degrees, if your oven doesn’t adjust the temperature itself.
Step 3
Put 2 tsps of rub in the base of the chicken stand or this chicken stand. Fill it with water and place in the middle of the rotisserie pan. It may be easier to fill the stand when it is in the pan already. The liquid in the pan means no basting is needed as it will evaporate and baste from the inside.
Step 4
Scatter the cut up carrots, celery, onions, garlic, potato peelings around the base of the rotisserie pan. Putting the base in first will give it the most stable base. If it is placed on the vegetable base it can tip and is a safety hazard.
Step 5
Put the chicken on the stand. If doing more than one chicken, put the chickens side by side as close to the centre as possible but not touching. The chickens should not be overhanging the pan. If overhanging the pan the drippings will not go into the roasting pan.
Step 6
Place the pan with the chicken in the oven. Add the 1-2 C of water to the base of the pan. Check the water in the pan often so it doesn’t cook off.
Step 7
Check that the top of the chicken and wing tips aren’t browning too soon or burning halfway through cooking. At 45 mins start checking if the chicken is getting close to done. It should take 50 minutes to an hour for the bird to be fully cooked to the internal temperature of 165 F. Use a thermocouple in the breast and the thigh in the thickest parts carefully so not to touch the bones for an accurate reading.
Step 8
Remove the pan and chicken from the oven. Set the chicken on a clean plate covered with aluminium foil to rest while you make the gravy. Resting the chicken in foil will make sure it doesn’t dry out and is the juiciest it can be.
How to make gravy for a roast chicken dinner
Step 1
In the roasting pan pour the chicken stock and the potato water to deglaze the drippings from the pan. Stirring and scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan to mix them in well.
Step 2
Mash the veggies with a potato masher to get all the flavour out of them for the gravy. The strainer will keep them out of the final product. The mashing doesn’t need to be fully pureed or mashed into a fine pulp. It is just for flavour extraction.
Step 3
Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium pot and either spoon out the contents of the bottom of the roasting pan or pour them into the pot through the sieve. The cooked carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and potato peelings can be composted or rinsed and kept for making chicken stock with the bones from the chicken..
Step 4
Heat the pot and contents on the stove over medium-high heat. Mix the cornstarch or tapioca starch/arrowroot starch with the 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Pour the mixed slurry into the pot and whisk into the gravy. If the starch is put in without making the slurry it will clump and make for a lumpy gravy.
Step 5
Add salt and bring the gravy to a simmer, not a boil, continuously whisking. Simmer until thickened. The viscosity should be just about the thickness of gravy but bear in mind it will thicken slightly as it cools a bit.
Step 6
Reduce heat to very low to keep warm while plating the rest of the meal. If a skin forms on the gravy, stir it in and increase the heat slightly so it melts back into the gravy.
Hint:
Save any extra gravy by freezing it in portion sized containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. It makes great gravy for fries or homemade poutine.
Substitutions
- Smoked Paprika- We use smoked paprika for this gluten free roast chicken but if you cannot find it or do not have it use regular paprika.
- Cornstarch - if corn is not safe for you use arrowroot starch, tapioca starch, or rice flour in the same quantities to help thicken the gravy.
- Celery- as it is a top 14 allergen, omit if necessary from the gravy. If lovage is safe for you it is possible to add it but no more than 2 tbsps. Check with your medical team that it is safe for your celery allergy first.
- Potato Water- instead of potato water replace it with more chicken stock or vegan and gluten free, or even allergen safe white wine.
Variations/Adaptations
Barbecue
To make this recipe on a barbecue mount the chicken on a turning spit or on the same kind of stand. We find if we do not put the chicken on a high heat proof container, like a one time use foil tray rated for barbecue use it will cause flares. Those flares from the fat dripping into the flames and burns the skin of the chicken. The container should be able to contain the dripping juices and keep it safer from fire flares.
Spicier version
To make the rub with a bit more of a kick add ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper and/or ⅛ teaspoon red pepper chilli flakes. This may give the gravy a bit of a heat, too. If the gravy is shared with another bird, put each in their casserole dish filled with veggies and water, if the other chicken is for kids.
Equipment
- Roasting pan or oven proof casserole dish or dutch oven
- Medium pot
- BBQ chicken stand
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Small bowl
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cooking utensils for stirring and scooping and a whisk
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
It is best to store the chicken meat separately from the carcass. It is easier to store and the carcass can either be immediately made into stock or frozen to make stock at another time. The gravy and the chicken should be stored in different containers and not together.
-Fridge
In the fridge, store the roast chicken for up to 3 days in a well sealing container. Store gravy safely for up to 3 days in a container in the fridge.
-Freezer
In well sealed freezer containers or bags chicken meat, bones, and gravy will keep for up to 3 months. It is best to store them separately. Store the leftover vegetables for making stock from the bottom of the roaster in a large sealed container in the fridge.
Reheating
Before using the chicken meat or gravy, thaw it before reheating. The meat may be re-heated sliced, cubed, or whole.
Re-heat bones on the stove top or in the oven in making stock, not in the microwave. Do not reheat the bones in the microwave as they may crack open.
-Oven
In a casserole dish the chicken and gravy can be reheated together covered by a foil topper. Re-heat at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 F on the chicken.
-Stove Top (our favourite method)
In a frying pan with a lid place one serving of chicken and gravy and whatever sides you are reheating for up to 3 people at a time. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the pan per serving and cover with the lid. Reheat for 5-7 mins over medium heat. Remove the lid and let any of the extra water cook off. Flip the chicken if needed and cook on the other side too. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Microwave
To reheat gluten free roast chicken in the microwave, use a microwave safe plate and heat one serving at a time. Heat the chicken and gravy either on the same plate or different ones. Heat for 1 minute 45 seconds. The chicken should be 165 F internally. If additional heating is required do it in 30 second bursts. Re-check the internal temperature each time.
Top Tip
Standing up the gluten free roast chickens helps to make all the skin nice and crispy like the store rotisserie chickens.
Leftover Ideas for Gluten Free Roast Chicken
We usually make two chickens each time we roast them. If we don’t eat all the chicken on the first night after that, we can make many other meals from what we have left over. Here are a few ideas on how to use the leftovers:
Soup Stock
The bones stripped of all the good edible meat will go into a large stock pot ¾ full of water and with the leftover vegetables from the bottom of the roasting pan. Bring to a low boil and cook for 4-5 hours. Store the stock by pressure canning in proper jars or freezing in a plastic container or freezer bags. It is best to store the stock in 4 cup portions.
Warm Chicken Sandwiches
Made with a bit of the gravy and some of the chicken and homemade gluten free top 8 free stuffing on gluten free, and allergen free bread.
Chicken Salad
Using Vegan mayo like Mama Yo! And celery with dill or a curried version like our chicken papaya salad recipe. Perfect for lunches, and picnics.
Chicken on Salad
Adding cold cubes of chicken to whichever salad is your favourite at the moment. Our Fig and kale salad is the perfect salad to add leftover chilled roast chicken to for a summer dinner or lunch.
Rice/quinoa Bowls
If salads are not your thing try to use warm rice, quinoa, beans, or cauliflower rice as a base and pile the bowl high with roast chicken cubes, avocado, tomatoes, corn, and much more.
Chicken Soup
Super easy to make and you can use any homemade stock you have made. Most chicken noodle soups use egg noodles but gluten and egg free macaroni noodles or rice make the perfect substitution. Adding the meat to a creamy lemon lentil soup will elevate the flavours immensely.
What To Serve With Dairy Free Roast Chicken
Roast Chickens and gravy are great with mashed potatoes and a vegetable, like this air fried carrots recipe. Corn on the cob is a wonderful side dish instead of potatoes. If mashed potatoes are not your deal, check out this roasted potatoes recipe, or make a pasta or potato salad if cooking the chickens on the barbecue.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Chicken Breasts Sage and Potatoes
Gluten Free Dairy Free Stuffing
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Roasting pan
- Medium pot
- BBQ chicken stand
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Small bowl
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cooking utensils for stirring and scooping and a whisk
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 3 Carrots roughly cut in large pieces
- 3 Celery Ribs roughly cut in large pieces
- 1 Large Onion cut in 8
- 6-8 Cloves Garlic crushed
- 3-4 Potatoes Worth of Skin Peelings see note 2
- 1-2 C Water depending on the size of your pan
The Rub
- 1 Tbsps Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon Oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon Marjoram
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chilli Powder
The Gravy
- 1 C Chicken Stock
- ½ C Potato water see note 4
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch Also works well with Arrowroot starch or Tapioca Starch instead of a corn product
- 1 tablespoon Water to add to the starch
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
The Rub
- 1- Mix all the rub ingredients together well in a small bowl.
- 2- Pat the chicken skin down to dry it off with a few paper towels to remove any excess moisture from the skin.
- 3- Rub all but 2 tsps of the rub all over the skin of the chicken. Get both the front and the back of the bird and under the wings and all over the drumsticks for the best flavour. Set aside while getting the oven and pan ready.
The Chicken
- 1- Move the racks in the oven down to accommodate a standing chicken in a roasting pan.
- 2- Preheat the oven to bake or roast at 425 F.
- 3- Put 2 tsps of rub in the base of the chicken stand. Fill it with water and place in the middle of the roasting pan.
- 4- Scatter the cut up carrots, celery, onions, garlic, potato peelings around the base of the rotisserie pan.
- 5- Put the chicken on the stand. If doing more than one chicken, put the chickens side by side as close to the centre as possible but not touching.
- 6- Place the pan with the chicken in the oven. Add the 1-2 C of water to the base of the pan.
- 7- Check that the top of the chicken and wing tips aren’t browning too soon or burning halfway through cooking. At 45 mins start checking if the chicken is getting close to done. It should take 50 minutes to an hour for the bird to be fully cooked to the internal temperature of 165 F.
- 8- Remove the pan and chicken from the oven. Set the chicken on a clean plate covered with aluminium foil to rest while you make the gravy.
The Gravy
- 1- In the roasting pan pour the chicken stock and the potato water to deglaze the drippings from the pan. Stirring and scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan to mix them in well.
- 2-Mash the veggies with a potato masher to get all the flavour out of them for the gravy.
- 3- Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium pot and either spoon out the contents of the bottom of the roasting pan or pour them into the pot through the sieve. Compost the cooked veggies.
- 4- Heat the pot and contents on the stove over medium-high heat.
- 5- Mix the cornstarch or tapioca starch/arrowroot starch with the 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Pour the mixed slurry into the pot and whisk into the gravy.
- 6- Add salt and bring the gravy to a simmer, not a boil, continuously whisking. Simmer until thickened.
- 7- Reduce heat to very low to keep warm while plating the rest of the meal. If a skin forms on the gravy, stir it in and increase the heat slightly so it melts back into the gravy.
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Always check all ingredients for cross contact with allergens with the manufacturer
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment and us know how much you liked it.