Believe it or not, chef’s and restaurants are judged on very few things (well if you’re not the French Laundry or El Bulli). You’re judged on your burgers, your steaks, and your chicken. Why? They’re the three most basic things to cook, and if those are good and made with care, chances are your restaurant is good and your customers will be back and more adventurous for the next meal. Let’s face it, there’s many ways to roast a bird, but his is the fastest most basic way. I already have a few recipes here on the blog that call for leftover chicken, or pulled chicken, that I like to use this simple recipe for.
- 1 roaster or fryer chicken
- 5 springs thyme
- 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 3 sprigs sage
- Olive oil or melted butter for brushing (and a brush , duh)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion, cut into chunks (optional)
- 2 carrots cut into chunks (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled (optional)
- You should know this one by now with me. Crank that oven on, this time to 450. Trust me.
- Tuck the wings of the bird underneath themselves like this:
Wing foldins’ - Season the inside and the outside of the bird and place it in a roasting pan. If your using the optional vegetables, toss those in some oil or butter first, then lay them on the bottom of the pan, then place the chicken over those. I like to use the vegetables if I’m making a gravy from the drippings.
- Stuff the bird with the herbs and lemon. If you like you can pop an extra garlic clove in there. Brush the bird with oil or butter and pop it in the oven.
- Easy so far right? Here’s where people forget… about the awesomeness of basting. After 20 minutes, take the bird out of the oven, and spoon the drippings over it. Why? Couple of reasons. The first is your reintroducing fat to this skin which is going to help it render further and stay crispy. The second is you’re imparting more flavor to the bird. Unlike the myth states, it does not keep the bird moist. Not overcooking the bird is what keeps in moist.
Bird Bastin’ - Baste the bird every 10 minutes for the next 30-40 minutes (or until the juices run clear). If you have a meat thermometer, check the temp by the thigh. If it’s 155-160 you’re good. Let it carry to 165. If not, you have a pretty big bird. No big deal. Turn down the heat to 350 then continue the basting every 10 minutes until the chicken is ready.
So now you can eat it as it is, shred for another recipe, or do whatever you want. Some of you may be asking “Que fai? Why didn’t you brine it?” Easy I didn’t want to. You absolutely can brine this chicken and roast it using the same method. Some chefs will also say to truss, or tie, the bird. Nothing wrong with trussing, if you’re presenting the whole roasted bird, but if I’m not, I find it cooks more evenly if you just let the legs hang. Feel free to add any of your favorite spice rubs to this too. It’s really super versatile.
Happy Eating,
-The Doctor