Roasted Chicken
Easy and Perfect Every Time
I made my first whole roasted chicken just a year ago. I had roasted bone-in breasts, best of fryers, and turkeys, but never a whole roasting chicken. I guess I never understood the need or desire to make one when they are so easily purchased in the Deli section of our market. (Always check ingredients as some use gluten-filled seasonings.) The convenience of quickly
preparing a weeknight meal at $6-$7 is a bargain no matter how you look at it. Besides, it’s not like you roast a chicken to carve at the table, right?
preparing a weeknight meal at $6-$7 is a bargain no matter how you look at it. Besides, it’s not like you roast a chicken to carve at the table, right?
Wrong….so-so wrong.
Roasting a whole chicken might be one of the most comforting, delicious, and easy meals you can make. The method I found here de-bunks all the past myths about using oils, butter, rubs, injections, basting, or special marinating and brining tricks.
It’s so much easier than that.
I make mine a little different than the site linked above, I changed the temperature and cooking times as well as some of the ingredients, but the method is the key.
I only use five ingredients…
Sea Salt, Pepper, Minced Garlic, Onion, and Celery
No oils, butter, wine or broth.
Really.
The key is once you rinse the chicken really well, you need to pat it dry with paper towels…inside and out…until it’s dry. Yep…make sure it’s dry.
Then you sprinkle about 1 1/2-2 Tbsp fine sea salt all over the inside and outside of the bird. I think they call it “raining” salt over the chicken. Then I do the same with pepper.
Next..just a few more spins…
Take some minced garlic, about 2 tsp depending on the size of your chicken. Reach inside and smear the garlic inside the cavity under the breast bones, pressing it into the meat. Then, cut an onion and some celery (with the leaves if you have them) and stuff them inside the cavity. Truss the legs with some kitchen twine, fold the wings under the chicken and place in a 13×9 casserole dish. No grease or non-stick spray needed.
Roast in a 425 degree oven for 1 hour.
Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and roast for another 30 minutes.
Remove and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
That’s it.
The outer skin is super crispy and seasoned perfectly.
Yes, I know the skin is taboo because it’s the fat containing part of the chicken, but it’s just too good to resist.
The inside stays moist, tender, juicy, pull off the bone delicious.
The pan juices are out of this world too. Just ‘carve’ your favorite part of the chicken (I’m normally a breast girl but every part of this chicken is my favorite) and drizzle a touch of the pan juices over the top. YUUUUUM.
Serve with fresh green beans and a side salad for an easy comfort meal that you’ll want to make again and again.
~ X O Mary ~
Ingredients:
- One whole Roasting Chicken, 4-5 pounds
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 Tbsp pepper
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 medium onion cut into quarters (if it all doesn’t fit in the cavity, just place in the pan for added flavor to the drippings
- 1 stalk celery (with leaves) cut into four pieces
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Remove any giblets or neck stuffed inside the cavity from the chicken. Rinse the chicken really well, inside and out with cold water. Place on paper towels and pat it dry inside and out…until it’s dry. You’ll use lot’s of paper towels…make sure it’s dry.
Next, sprinkle about 1 1/2-2 Tbsp fine sea salt all over the inside and outside of the bird. I think they call it “raining” salt over the chicken. Then do the same with the pepper.
Take the minced garlic and reach inside and smear the garlic inside the cavity under the breast bones, pressing it into the meat. Then, stuff the inside cavity with the onions and celery. Truss the legs with some kitchen twine, fold the wings under the chicken and place in a 13×9 casserole dish. No need for grease or non-stick spray.
Roast in a 425 degree oven for 1 hour. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and roast for another 30 minutes. Remove and allow to sit, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
That’s it.
Carve your favorite part of the chicken and drizzle some of the pan juices over the top…you don’t need much. Serve with fresh green beans and a side salad for an easy comfort meal that you’ll want to make again and again. Of course a few mashed potatoes are always good with this if you have the time.
.*** If you have a smaller chicken, adjust the seasonings and roasting times.
This post is linked to 5-Ingredient Monday’s over at The Daily Dietribe
This post is linked to gfe’s Gluten-Free Wednesdays
