| 1 whole chicken | |
| 4 - 6 cloves of garlic | |
| Thyme and/or Rosemary (fresh) | |
| Half a lemon | |
| Paprika | |
| Cayenne pepper | |
| Salt | |
| Pepper |
Anytime I roast a chicken for guests, they're always so impressed. That has always confused me because I think a roast chicken is one of the simplest and easiest ways to prepare chicken. If you cook it properly, the result is chicken that is much juicier than if you prepared chicken by the part (like just chicken breasts). So stop buying rotisserie chickens or pre-cut chicken and roast a whole bird instead! It's much cheaper and you can use the carcass to make chicken stock.
| 1. | Roasting a chicken produces a delicious, juicy poultry dish that is both easy and impressive. The prep time is surprisingly fast. The hardest part is getting the carving of the chicken down! I suggest you watch some Youtube videos for that part, and invest in a sharp carving knife. |
| 2. | Start by turning the oven on and setting it to 450F. |
| 3. | Begin by rinsing and then drying off the whole chicken. If you want crispy skin, drying off the outside of the chicken is very important. Remove any of the extra insides, like the neck, from the cavity of the chicken if you don’t intend to eat them. There is often excess fat/skin there, trim that as well. Stuff the cavity with a few twigs of fresh thyme and rosemary (it’s okay if you only have one of those) and half a lemon and the garlic cloves. Now season the outside of the chicken, liberally with the salt and pepper - a lot will fall off so add more than you think you need. Be generous with the paprika as well and go gently with the cayenne pepper as it’s very spicy. I often like to use ground fennel as well. |
| 4. | Place the bird breast side up in a roasting pan or cast iron skillet. If you have twine, you can tie the legs together. Cook for 60 - 70 minutes, placing the skillet on the medium height rack in the oven. If the chicken starts smoking from the fat dripping off, you can cover it with foil if the skin is crispy and looks done. Use a meat thermometer to check if the center of the breast has hit 165F. Another way to check is if you poke a fork through the joints and the juices run clear. |
| 5. | Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before cutting it. While it’s resting, baste the chicken with the juices from the roasting pan or skillet you cooked the chicken in. Carve the chicken and serve by topping the pieces with roughly chopped thyme. Optionally, use the other half of the lemon to squeeze some lemon juice over the pieces you are serving. Add salt if it needs more. Enjoy! |
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