Roast Chicken

Roast chicken is a classic. It is delicious, easy to do, and if your appetite is restrained it could lead to some great leftovers. A roast chicken dinner is also incredibly elegant and served with simple complimentary dishes such as roast potatoes, salad, a green vegetable and rolls, it will make a most impressive feast.

 

Don’t forget to save the carcass to use for making soup. After dinner, remove any meat from the bones to save separately and seal the carcass in a plastic bag. Store in the freezer for another time, or refrigerate it if you will be making soup within a day.

 

SERVES 4 TO 6

 

Ingredients:

A whole chicken, 4 to 6 pounds; an hour before you put the chicken in the oven, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature.

 

Butter or olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

 

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Instructions:

▪ Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Prepare the chicken for roasting by removing the bag of giblets from inside it and also remove any large pieces of fat that may be around the cavity opening. Rinse the chicken under cold water, inside and outside, and then dry both inside and outside with paper towels. Place it in a roasting pan.

 

▪ Rub the skin of the chicken with butter or olive oil and sprinkle both inside and outside with the salt, pepper and herbs.

 

▪ Put the chicken in the oven and baste it every 20 minutes or so with its own juices. A 4 pound chicken will take around 1¼ hours and a 6 pound one may be done in 1½ hours, but you should be flexible on timing, start checking about 15 minutes ahead of your target time and allow for the possibility of a longer cooking time.

 

▪ The best way to check for doneness is with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone. The chicken will be cooked perfectly when the meat reaches 180˚F. Alternatively, prick the skin at the joint where the thigh connects to the body. If the juices that run out are clear without a trace of pink, then the chicken is cooked. You can also test by wiggling the leg and if it moves easily, then the chicken is done.

 

▪ When the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the oven, cover it to keep warm and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes the meat moist and tender.

 

▪ To serve, remove the wings and legs by cutting through the joints and then separate the drumsticks from the thighs. Remove the breast meat and slice.