- 1
First, choose a really good whole chicken. You are seeking something fresh, an organic, free-range bird weighing 3 to 5 pounds. The more you're cooking, the bigger the chicken, which will make leftovers for sandwiches or salads.
- 2
If you have a frozen chicken, it should be thawed completely before cooking. The best way to do that is by placing it in the refrigerator overnight for 24 hours with every 5 pounds. If that is not possible, immerse the chicken in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes.
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Gather ingredients: salt, pepper, olive oil or butter, herbs, and spices such as garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon, and paprika.
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Once thawed, remove the chicken from its packaging. Pat it dry with paper towels so its skin crisps nicely during the roasting process. Check the cavity and remove any leftover organs (usually in a small bag) that may be included with the bird.
- 5
Season the chicken's cavity generously with salt and pepper.
- 6
Add a few halved lemons, garlic cloves, and some fresh herbs in the form of rosemary and thyme for extra flavour. This infuses the meat with delicious aromas as it roasts.
- 7
Rub olive oil or liquid butter all over the chicken's skin. This helps attain the crispiest golden skin on the chicken.
- 8
Rub the exterior liberally with salt, pepper, and your choice of spices, including red/paprika, for colour and flavour.
- 9
Decide on your roasting method. This can be achieved using a roasting pan, a cast-iron skillet, or even a baking dish.
- 10
Be sure to include a rack in the pan when roasting, as this will give you space between your chicken and the pan to allow air to circulate and cause an even roast.
- 11
Extra flavour and extra side: Chop those potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper around the chicken in your roasting pan. Those veggies will soak up all those drippings when you're cooking the chicken, making it tender and luscious.
- 12
Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C. When roasting a chicken whole, this way is perfect as it gets everything cooked uniformly and will have a nice crisp outside skin.
- 13
Put the roasting pan in the centre of the preheated oven along with the chicken. That does the trick by spreading the heat fairly evenly.
- 14
Roast the chicken for about 1.5 to 2 hours, based on the size of your chicken. Some general guidelines are to cook it for about 20 minutes for every pound of chicken.
- 15
If you like, bake the chicken every 30 minutes with pan drippings. That way, moisture should be better retained within the meat, and your skin crunch will have more flavour. Not basting it, however, does result in a very fine crisping of the skin.
- 16
Test the internal temperature of the chicken with your meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at 165 F or 75 C at the thickest part of the thigh, farthest from the bone.
- 17
Look for the skin that turns golden brown, and juices must run clear after you drive a fork into the thigh.
- 18
A pinkish colour on the juices is a sign that it needs more cooking time in the oven.
- 19
Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and loosely cover the chicken in aluminium foil. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. This resting period lets the juices penetrate to various parts of the meat, making it a juicy roast.
- 20
Let the chicken rest on a cutting board. Remove the legs: Cut across the joint where the thigh meets the body. Cut off the wings in like manner.
- 21
Using a sharp knife, make an incision on either side of the breastbone to remove the breast meat in big pieces. Cut those pieces up into more slices as desired.