Help me roast a delicious chicken!

[Pretty in Pink]

I picked up a large roasten hen for Easter dinner this year but I honestly haven't a clue as to how to prepare it. I've roasted many a bird in my day but they always turn out fairly blah. Not bad, not great. I want a nice, juicy, tender bird with golden, crispy skin. What should I do? :bigear:

[Momling]

I'd probably go with a brine. In the morning I would mix hot water with salt and honey until it dissolves, then chuck in some herbs (fresh or dried). Add some ice to cool it off and drop in the chicken. Let her soak until you're ready to bake in the late afternoon. I'd rub with butter or olive oil and sprinkle some pepper and dried herbs over the top. You could stuff it with stuffing if you like it...

[kalanamak]

My secret (learned from an old Italian lady in the Bronx) is to roll a pair of washed lemons under your hand on the counter until they are squish-ish. Like a baby's buttocks. Then, prick them each several times with small holes. Stuff these in the chicken. I then smear it with butter. In the roaster, I then add 20 cloves of perfectly peeled garlic (not nicked up), and cook at whatever JOC says to. You don't actually eat the garlic.

 

NB: I don't eat meat, but this is always wolfed down, and I am asked my secret. After it is told, people say "Lemon! That was it!", so I know it doesn't dominate the chicken flavor. No one has guess lemon on their own.

[Belacqua]

I find the less I do, the better it comes out. I sprinkle the skin with salt and lemon pepper, put the chicken in a roasting (or baking) pan on a rack, and roast it at 350 for 20 minutes per pound. Let it rest for 15 or 20 minutes.

 

It works better if I remember to take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30-35 minutes before putting it in the oven, but that isn't critical (which is good, as I seldom remember...).

[gardening momma]

An oven bag. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Rub with butter and season well (really well). Put in oven bag (don't forget to shake a tablespoon of flour into the bag as the directions say). Follow baking time given in the directions that come with the bag.

[Spy Car]

The "on a rack in a roasting pan" helps a great deal as having the bird out of any accumulating juices in the roasting pan keeps the bird from "steaming" rather than "roasting" and lets hot dry air move all around the chicken and this will help get you crisp skin.

 

What also helps is to really dry the skin after you wash it with cold water. The drier the better. Then salt and rub with salt and a little olive oil (or butter). I often stuff with a lemon in the fashion described by Kalanamak. I also like laying a several long sprigs of fresh Rosemary on top (but it is optional).

 

If you have a roaster but no rack try to improvise one. One unglamorous solution is to make a series of "logs" out of aluminum foil. Not "pretty" but it works.

 

Bill

[PeterPan]

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html See what you think of this! I did this in my countertop roaster, though not quite up to the 500 degrees like it calls for. (Mine goes to 450.) Should work with a chicken. They claim the high heat develops the flavor in the meat.

[nmoira]

 

I'd probably go with a brine. In the morning I would mix hot water with salt and honey until it dissolves, then chuck in some herbs (fresh or dried). Add some ice to cool it off and drop in the chicken. Let her soak until you're ready to bake in the late afternoon. I'd rub with butter or olive oil and sprinkle some pepper and dried herbs over the top. You could stuff it with stuffing if you like it...

An easy alternative that keeps it from drying out when cooking is to use buttered cheesecloth. Simply melt a stick or two of butter (depending how big the chicken is), saturated a largish piece of cheesecloth with the butter and drape it over the chicken (folding and tucking as necessary), cooking the chicken breast side up and do not turn. Edited April 23, 2011 by nmoira

[justamouse]

My secret (learned from an old Italian lady in the Bronx) is to roll a pair of washed lemons under your hand on the counter until they are squish-ish. Like a baby's buttocks. Then, prick them each several times with small holes. Stuff these in the chicken. I then smear it with butter. In the roaster, I then add 20 cloves of perfectly peeled garlic (not nicked up), and cook at whatever JOC says to. You don't actually eat the garlic.

 

NB: I don't eat meat, but this is always wolfed down, and I am asked my secret. After it is told, people say "Lemon! That was it!", so I know it doesn't dominate the chicken flavor. No one has guess lemon on their own.

 

This is how I make it. Lemon, always. Sometimes I stuff some thyme in the cavity, too. Bu the lemon and garlic are a must.

[wapiti]

I'd probably go with a brine.

:iagree:

[Spy Car]

I will be a voice of dissent (anyone surprised :tongue_smilie:) on the "brine" issue. To my mind it makes chicken or a turkey taste "processed." Yes it keeps the meat moist, but at a cost of too much saltiness and an unnatural process taste and texture.

 

I don't like it. So there :D

 

Bill

Edited April 23, 2011 by Spy Car

[kolamum]

We do:

 

1 entire head of garlic {dont panic I promise it's not GARLICKY}

1 leek

1 lemon

salt & pepper

olive oil

 

 

Rinse your chicken inside and out, pat dry if you have paper towel {I never do and just give it a gentle shake.} Cut the leek {you could use an onion} into large chunks, cut the lemon in half, and cut the "top" off the garlic exposing it's nifty little cloves. Stuff all of it inside the chicken.

 

I throw in half the lemon, several chunks of leeks, the garlic, the rest of the leek and I block the "hole" with the rest of the lemon. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over it and spread it around with a basting brush to cover the skin on the outside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss in a 350 degree oven for a couple of hours. The chicken will be moist, the skin crunchy and you'll be lucky to have leftovers. :D

[MelanieM]

I put some whole garlic cloves, carrots and onions at the bottom of a roasting pan and place the chicken on top. Sometimes I season in under the skin with a rub... olive oil, whole grain mustard, terragon, s&p rubbed into the breast in under the skin. Then I put it in the oven and cook, uncovered, at 350 until done. It always turns out really well.

 

If you won't be serving it whole and carving at the table, you can also cook it upside down. That allows the fat from the dark meat to drip through and keep the white meat moist. You'll be sacrificing the crispy skin, though.

[mrsrevmeg]

I drizzle the bird with olive oil. Then sprinkle a little paprika on it. Then I sprinkle it parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. For the first half hour or so I keep foil over it. Then I take the foil off to brown it. I agree with Bill on the brine. It is just too salty for my taste.

[Wabi Sabi]

IMO, you can't go wrong with this recipe:

 

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/roast-sticky-chicken-rotisserie-style/Detail.aspx

 

Everyone I know who has made chicken this way LOVES it. Just make sure to read through the recipe and give yourself plenty of time to get it in the oven. It does take all day to cook, although once you get it in the oven it is mostly hands-off. Not labor intensive at all, just takes some time.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

An easy alternative that keeps it from drying out when cooking is to use buttered cheesecloth. Simply melt a stick or two of butter (depending how big the chicken is), saturated a largish piece of cheesecloth with the butter and drape it over the chicken (folding and tucking as necessary), cooking the chicken breast side up and do not turn.

 

Do you use a rack or does it just sit in a roaster? Also, what temp and time do you use? Thanks:D

[Snickerdoodle]

I must be the only person who doesn't like lemon and garlic in the chicken.

[Chava_Raizel]

I always use an oven bag. I make a garlic herb butter and put it under the skin of the chicken and then rub some of it on the skin. I sometimes stuff a quartered lemon and a quartered onion in the hole as well. My "trick" is that I cook the chicken upside-down, so the dark meat is on top. This makes the white meat really nice and moist. It's funny, the first time I did that, it was on accident, but the chicken came out so great, I almost always cook it upside-down.

[Pretty in Pink]

Thanks for all of the tips. So, is it important to apply seasonings under the skin as opposed to just sprinkling them over the bird? Olive oil and garlic -- do they go under the skin as well or directly on the skin?

 

ETA: If you use a roasting bag, do you add any liquid to the bag?

[nmoira]

 

Do you use a rack or does it just sit in a roaster? Also, what temp and time do you use? Thanks:D

I don't use a rack, but neither do we eat the back. Put the cheesecloth on after you put the chicken in the pan (just drape, don't wrap). Temp is either 350F or 325F depending what else will be in the oven, and per pound time is the same as for an unstuffed bird. I only use this for a large chicken because I find they tend to dry out. For family dinner, we usually get a 4lb bird and use two lemons, as above, but without the butter.

[H.S. Burrow]

Thanks for all of the tips. So, is it important to apply seasonings under the skin as opposed to just sprinkling them over the bird? Olive oil and garlic -- do they go under the skin as well or directly on the skin?

 

ETA: If you use a roasting bag, do you add any liquid to the bag?

 

 

I place the chicken in a 9x13 glass pyrex dish. I use 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 heaping teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary; mix all that and pour over the chicken. Bake on 350 for about an hour...sometimes a bit more or less depending on your oven and the size of the chicken.

 

[Hedgehogs4]

I use Jamie Oliver's technique and seriously, it is the best roast chicken I have ever tasted.

 

I first make a rub of olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. Coarsely chop the herbs, and combine with coarse grain salt and pepper.

Stuff the cavity with a lemon half, peeled garlic cloves, thyme and rosemary sprigs and sprinkle in some lemon juice. Then, separate the the skin from the meat and rub some of the the herb mixture between the skin and meat, as well as on the outside.

 

Roast on a rack.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Season it anyway you like. Many of the suggestions here are fine. Roast it on rack at high temperature, 450F, very quickly, about 45 minutes.

[Truscifi]

I cook it on a rack in a roasting pan. I rub the salt, pepper, and butter on the skin to help it crisp. (Only the butter/olive oil does that, not the seasonings). I put a few lemon slices, some carrots and celery, onion, and a big sprig of rosemary in the cavity, and sometimes more veggies in the bottom of the pan with some broth if I want the veggies as a side. It is always gobbled up, so it must be okay. :D

[Journey]

I didn't read all of the posts so this may have already been said. I put pats of butter under the skin and I put a couple of strips of bacon on the top of the chicken. THE BEST!!!!!!!

[Jennifer in MI]

I use Jamie Oliver's technique and seriously, it is the best roast chicken I have ever tasted.

 

I first make a rub of olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. Coarsely chop the herbs, and combine with coarse grain salt and pepper.

Stuff the cavity with a lemon half, peeled garlic cloves, thyme and rosemary sprigs and sprinkle in some lemon juice. Then, separate the the skin from the meat and rub some of the the herb mixture between the skin and meat, as well as on the outside.

 

Roast on a rack.

 

This is almost exactly what I do! But, I didn't know Jamie Oliver stole it from me. Darn him. :glare::001_smile:

 

I didn't read all of the posts so this may have already been said. I put pats of butter under the skin and I put a couple of strips of bacon on the top of the chicken. THE BEST!!!!!!!

 

I just put a chicken in the oven. My oldest came in and asked me to throw some bacon on it!!! I thought he was kidding! Apparently not - heh? Next time . . .

[MIch elle]

I always use an oven bag.

 

 

:iagree: Get Reynold's oven bags!

[gardening momma]

Thanks for all of the tips. So, is it important to apply seasonings under the skin as opposed to just sprinkling them over the bird? Olive oil and garlic -- do they go under the skin as well or directly on the skin?

 

ETA: If you use a roasting bag, do you add any liquid to the bag?

I don't add any liquid when using an oven bag. Actually, quite a bit of liquid from the chicken itself will pool at the bottom of the bag.

 

I put all the seasoning on top of the skin, but I season pretty heavily (salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder). It does go into the chicken. Since part of your original question was about crisp skin--I don't remember if the oven bag produces crispy skin, but you could always cut the bag open near the end and let it crisp up a bit.

 

I didn't read all of the posts so this may have already been said. I put pats of butter under the skin and I put a couple of strips of bacon on the top of the chicken. THE BEST!!!!!!!

 

I just put a chicken in the oven. My oldest came in and asked me to throw some bacon on it!!! I thought he was kidding! Apparently not - heh? Next time . . .

I'll have to try bacon. A couple of years ago, when camping, I cooked pork loin, beef roast, carrots, potatoes & onions together in a cast iron pot. I do this at home in the crockpot sometimes. On a whim I added strips of bacon over the top of everything. It was sooo good! (the bacon got nice & crisp)

[Audrey]

I'd probably go with a brine. In the morning I would mix hot water with salt and honey until it dissolves, then chuck in some herbs (fresh or dried). Add some ice to cool it off and drop in the chicken. Let her soak until you're ready to bake in the late afternoon. I'd rub with butter or olive oil and sprinkle some pepper and dried herbs over the top. You could stuff it with stuffing if you like it...

 

 

:iagree: with the brining idea. I have done that more and more lately with birds and it is very good. The trick, IMO, is not to brine for more than 30 minutes per pound.

 

Then, if you want a crispy golden skin, baste with butter every 15 minutes of roasting time. I like to make a whip of butter, pepper and herbs for basting.

[Pretty in Pink]

I'm going to try the roasting bag this time and go for a more rotisserie-style bird rather than a crispy one as I originally had planned. Thanks for all of the tips here!

[MelanieM]

Is a roasting bag made of plastic? Is that really a safe way to prepare food?

[kolamum]

I don't put anything under the skin. I'm too squeemish with raw meet. :glare: I put olive oil and salt and pepper on top of it and garlic, lemon, and the salt & pepper inside of it. :D

[mrs.m]

I agree about the roasting bag! It makes some great chicken! I do the garlic method or I use Pensey's Old World seasoning under the skin.

[tex-mex]

My secret (learned from an old Italian lady in the Bronx) is to roll a pair of washed lemons under your hand on the counter until they are squish-ish. Like a baby's buttocks. Then, prick them each several times with small holes. Stuff these in the chicken. I then smear it with butter. In the roaster, I then add 20 cloves of perfectly peeled garlic (not nicked up), and cook at whatever JOC says to. You don't actually eat the garlic.

 

NB: I don't eat meat, but this is always wolfed down, and I am asked my secret. After it is told, people say "Lemon! That was it!", so I know it doesn't dominate the chicken flavor. No one has guess lemon on their own.

:iagree:We'd do this and then pop the chicken into a roaster bag. YUM!

[tex-mex]

:iagree: Get Reynold's oven bags!

:thumbup:

[LauraGB]

I'm going to try the roasting bag this time and go for a more rotisserie-style bird rather than a crispy one as I originally had planned. Thanks for all of the tips here!

 

 

Well? How did it turn out??:bigear:

[6packofun]

This is similar to what I do (I'll have to check out his recipe!) and I really like the method.

[Pretty in Pink]

It was the most moist, delicious, home-cooked chicken that I have ever tasted. My husband even commented on how juicy the breast meat was particularly, and the boys were fighting over seconds. I'd say that's a win!

 

Oven bags may be my newest best friend! :tongue_smilie: