Basic Roast Chicken Recipes

BASIC ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the inside of the chickens liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff each bird with 3 sprigs thyme, 2 cloves garlic, the bay leaf, onion and lemon. As the chickens cook, this will help keep them moist and also flavor the bird from the inside.
• Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together of each bird, and then tuck the wing tips underneath each body so it cooks evenly. Place the birds on a roasting rack over a roasting tray then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
• Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the joint between the leg and thigh registers 165 degrees F, approximately 1 hour more. When the chicken is done, the skin will be crispy and golden and the juices of the chicken will run clear. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

JUICY ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken's exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
• Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

STUPID SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Place chicken into a roasting pan and insert lemon halves into the cavity; spread kosher salt over outside of chicken.
• Roast in the preheated oven until skin is browned and crisp, the juices run clear, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching bone, reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 1 hour. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving.

MY FAVORITE SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.
• Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.
• Now, salt the chicken-I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.
• Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone-I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.
• Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip-until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

EASY ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine (tuck wings under chicken, if desired, for a neater presentation). Place chicken on a rack set in a roasting pan (or on a rimmed baking sheet).
• Rub chicken all over with butter; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone), 45 to 50 minutes. Serve, or let cool before refrigerating, up to 3 days, covered.

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Rinse and pat chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels. Mix margarine, garlic salt, black pepper, thyme, parsley, and rosemary in a bowl and rub the outside of the chicken thoroughly with the margarine mixture. Place any remaining margarine mixture into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken into a glass baking dish.
• Bake chicken in the preheated oven until browned and the juices run clear, about 2 hours. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching bone, should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

BASIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove the package of gizzards, heart, liver and neck from the cavity of the chicken. Except for the liver, these parts can be used to make stock. You may wish to freeze them until you have the innards of several chickens. Saute the liver and spread on toast or freeze it separately, adding to your supply of frozen livers as you buy whole chickens.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat it dry on a paper towel. Pull off any excess fat from the back of the cavity near the tail. This fat can be sauteed slowly in a small skillet to use for frying or it can be frozen for future use. Pull out with tweezers or singe over an open flame any large pinfeathers on the wings. Sqeeze the juice of half the lemon into the cavity and rub it in.
• Rub the outside of the chicken with the oil or butter. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Tuck the lemon halves and the parsley into the cavity. Quarter one of the onions and tuck the quarters into the cavity.
• The chicken will hold its shape better if is trussed. At the very least, tuck the wing tips behind the chicken and, using butcher's cord, tie the legs together. To truss the chicken completely, first loop cord around the tail and crisscross it around the legs, pulling the legs together tightly. Then run the length of cord along the sides of the chicken, just under the drumstick and through the wing joints, pulling the ends together across the back near the neck, securing the extra flap of neck skin under the cord. Tie the cord securely, making for a tight, plump-looking bird.
• Slice the remaining onion and scatter it in the roasting pan. Position the chicken on a rack and place in the oven. Roast for 13 to 15 minutes a pound, until the juices run clear when the meaty flesh of the upper thigh is pricked with a sharp fork. If the onions in the pan appear to be browning too rapidly while the chicken is roasting, add a little water to the pan. The onions should become dark brown but should not be allowed to blacken.
• Remove the chicken to a platter or cutting surface and allow it to rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
• Skim any excess fat from the roasting pan. Add several tablespoons of water to the roasting pan, place it on top of the stove over medium heat and stir, scraping up any browned bits clinging to the pan. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan. These juices can be seasoned with salt and pepper and used to moisten the portions of chicken or can be used to make a gravy. Add the wine or stock to the juices and bring to a simmer. Dissolve the cornstarch in one tablespoon cold water and stir into the gravy mixture. Simmer until thickened, then season.
• Carve the chicken by cutting through the joints to remove the drumsticks and wings, then slicing the breast meat and thigh meat. Arrange the meat on a platter and serve either moistened with pan juices or with the gravy on the side.

BASIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place your roasting pan in the oven, and preheat to 425 degrees.
• Wash the chicken inside and out with cold water. Pat it as dry as possible with paper towels.
• With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 slashes across each of the thighs.
• Rub the entire chicken, including the interior cavity, with olive oil, and then with salt and pepper.
• Carefully separate the skin of the breast from the meat, and work some olive oil, salt, and pepper into the gaps with your hand.
• Tuck the wings up under the back of the chicken. Cross the legs, and tie it up as tightly as possible with kitchen twine.
• Pull the hot tray out of the oven, and place the chicken on it breast side down. Return to the oven and cook for 5 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over onto the other breast, and cook another 5 minutes.
• Turn the chicken on it's back, and cook for 1 hour.
• Let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

EASY ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sit your chicken in a roasting tin. Ease the skin away from the breast and push the butter underneath the skin. Tuck a couple of fresh sage leaves in there too, if using.
• Sprinkle the skin with the sea salt and some black pepper. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting tin to fill it about 1-2cm deep.
• Cover the chicken with foil and roast for 1 hr. Remove the foil and continue to roast for 20-30 mins until the skin is golden, the chicken is cooked and all the juices run clear.
• Pour the juices into a jug to use in gravy. Put the chicken on a board and cover with foil and a clean towel or tea towel. Leave it to rest for 15-20 mins, then carve.

SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the chicken in a large roasting tin, then stuff the garlic and bay leaves into the cavity. Rub the outside of the chicken with butter, then squeeze over the lemon juice and add the lemon halves to the inside of the chicken. Season inside and out, then cook the chicken for 20 mins.
• Turn the oven down to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and cook for a further 45 mins or until the chicken juices run clear when you pierce the thigh with a knife. Leave to rest for 15 mins before carving.

SIMPLE WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the salt, sugar, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Rub the chicken with the mixture. Cover chicken, and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stuff the chicken cavity with the garlic. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), and continue roasting 15 minutes. Baste chicken with pan drippings, reduce heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C), and continue roasting 30 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Let stand 20 minutes before serving.