Its been said that a properly roasted chicken is the signature of a great cook. Well, I believe that. But there's no one chicken that fills the bill. The mark of a properly roasted chicken is a crispy skin and moist flavorful meat. And that can only be achieved by following a few simple precepts.
- Warm the chicken at room temperature no more or no less than one hour before roasting
- Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees (use a thermometer to be sure)
- Season the cavity with salt and pepper at least. Any other flavors are optional.
- Lift the breast skin and stuff the space with fat of some sort, butter, bacon, chicken fat etc.
- Roast at a high temperature for at least 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to no less than 375 degrees until the chicken is done.
- Doneness is 165 degrees at the thigh for safety...but that's up to you.
With that here's my choice for a great roasted chicken.
Roasted Lemon Mint Chicken
Whole Chicken (fryer or roaster...about 3-4 lbs)
Fresh Garlic Cloves
Fresh Mint
Fresh Lemon
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Unsalted Butter
Carrots
Yellow Onion
Preheat an oven to 450 degrees. Choose a roasting pan only slightly larger than the chicken (10-12 inch round pan will do fine). Arrange some onion slices and carrot pieces in the bottom of the pan with a sprig of mint and a clove or two of fresh garlic
Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with mint sprigs, garlic cloves and lemon slices. Tuck the wings under the bird and set it, breast side up, on the cut vegetables.
Lift the breast skin and set 3-4 tablespoons of butter in the space. Season the skin with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Dot with more butter.
Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue to cook until done. Test the thickest part of the thigh (while not touching the bone) for a temperature of about 165 degrees. Wiggle the legs, they will easily move in their sockets when the chicken is done.
Remove the bird from the oven and let rest about 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with some of the pan juices basted over the cut chicken.
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