Cooking a whole chicken

[Elizabeth86]

So that it isn’t dry. I think I’ve only tried it once and it was rather dry.

[kbutton]

If you don’t care about crispy skin, the crock pot or a covered pot will do.

Oven bags work well.

If you have a convection oven, roasting in an open pot with a little water in the bottom works—you can cover it at first and then uncover to brown the skin partway through.

Cut in half and placed skin up on a baking sheet is my favorite way, especially in a convection oven. We roasted a Turkey this way last year.

[gardenmom5]

I have an herb roasted chicken recipe that always turns out (it's leaves the bird covered with olive oil and spices) - BUT, I *Always* have the breasts down, and the back is up.  The back has more fat, which will drip through the breasts while it roasts in the oven.

[Tanaqui]

Did you brine it first? Brining is essential for baking meat so it isn't dry - especially poultry! You can look up recipes online.

[ShepCarlin]

This is the best recipe, hands down for roast chicken. It can also be adapted for turkey.

https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/buttermilkmarinated-roast-chicken

[Clarita]

Brine it first (I'm don't always do this sometimes I just put salt all over the thing and rest for the amount of time the oven needs to heat up), tie it up tight and breast down. That's how my friend taught me and my chicken always turns out pretty good. 

I'm also lazy so usually I just buy the $5 chicken from Costco and have only done the roast chicken 3 times.

[KungFuPanda]

Have you tried spatchcocking it? You basically cut out the backbone and open it like a book. You press down on the breast bone until it breaks. Rub it all over with salt (and any other seasonings you like) the day before you cook it and use a thermometer so you know it’s not over or undercooked. It won’t take long and it’ll be juicy and flavorful with a nice crisp skin. 

[EKS]

Buy a rotisserie chicken.  Problem solved!

[Jaybee]

2 minutes ago, EKS said:

Buy a rotisserie chicken.  Problem solved!

Lol, I was about to post this. It's what I do!  ETA: Well, I do sometimes cook one in the crockpot. 

Edited October 4, 2022 by Jaybee

[KungFuPanda]

Just now, Jaybee said:

Lol, I was about to post this. It's what I do!

Costco makes this way too easy. If you have the strength of character to walk in and walk out with JUST your 5.99 chicken you win. 
 

I tried list last week and spent $70.  It really is rigged so the house wins. 🤣

[Jaybee]

3 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Costco makes this way too easy. If you have the strength of character to walk in and walk out with JUST your 5.99 chicken you win. 
 

I tried list last week and spent $70.  It really is rigged so the house wins. 🤣

The nearest Costco is almost an hour away. For me, it's probably a good thing. Years ago, we were members at Sam's Club for awhile. I ended up spending more money than I saved except for toilet paper and washing powder. If I went to Walmart and bought groceries, I bought a lot of off-brand items. If I went to Sam's, most of the "deals" (at that time) were name-brand items. It wasn't cost effective for me. Not saying that is true for everyone, just for me. We let it expire. It might have been worth it for meats, etc., but I didn't have a freezer at that time, other than the fridge one, so didn't have room to buy bulk.

[knittingmomof3]

Ina’s recipe is my go-to. It’s never dry. And it makes 3 meals. First night is the chicken. Second night is chicken salad on lettuce or bread. Third night is soup made with the carcass. I roast the chicken on a bed of 75/25 onions/potatoes. It’s our favorite meal here. 
 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe-1940592.amp

 

Enjoy!!!

[bolt.]

Chicken is only dry if you overcook it. If you put in a thermometer and pull it at 161, it will be moist and lovely no matter what recipe you use.

[Elizabeth86]

1 hour ago, Tanaqui said:

Did you brine it first? Brining is essential for baking meat so it isn't dry - especially poultry! You can look up recipes online.

Idk. It’s been too long for me to remember what I did with it. 

[marbel]

I spatchcock and dry brine it with a mixture of baking powder and kosher salt.  Here is an article about dry brining poultry. 

https://www.seriouseats.com/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-thanksgiving

 

[catz]

I've used a number of recipes and have never had a dry oven roasted chicken.  I think you just need to watch the temp carefully.  

[Harriet Vane]

14 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

Have you tried spatchcocking it? You basically cut out the backbone and open it like a book. You press down on the breast bone until it breaks. Rub it all over with salt (and any other seasonings you like) the day before you cook it and use a thermometer so you know it’s not over or undercooked. It won’t take long and it’ll be juicy and flavorful with a nice crisp skin. 

This is my preferred method. I roast the spatchcocked chicken on a broiler pan with the under-tray filled with hot water.

[Elizabeth86]

14 hours ago, EKS said:

Buy a rotisserie chicken.  Problem solved!

I usually do, but for some reason there is one in my freezer and someone needs to do something with it. 🤣

[KungFuPanda]

8 minutes ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I usually do, but for some reason there is one in my freezer and someone needs to do something with it. 🤣

I have this exact problem right now. I don’t even remember buying this chicken!

The Costco cheese Chen I bought got turned into about 4 meals. This honkin big roaster is gonna be ten. I just can’t face it yet. 

Edited October 4, 2022 by KungFuPanda

[EKS]

6 minutes ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I usually do, but for some reason there is one in my freezer and someone needs to do something with it. 🤣

Oh no, it's frozen too?!?!

Actually, I just remembered that before I went the rotisserie route full time, I did start cutting whole chickens in half (using kitchen scissors) before roasting.  That eliminates the cavernous hole issue.  Perhaps someone already mentioned this method upthread.

[Heartstrings]

Oven bags and put the breast down.  I’ve been cooking Thanksgiving turkey for 15-20 people this way since I was 18 and have never messed it up.  Although I probably just jinxed that. 🤣 

[Tanaqui]

Oh, you're just trying to use up a frozen chicken?

Why not make soup? There's lots of recipes for soup with a whole chicken.

[Home'scool]

From the Amish:

• Put chicken breast side up in baking pan
• Put cut up red potatoes and onions and place around the chicken
• Melt one stick butter in one cup chicken broth - I also add a squeeze of lemon and then put the lemon in the chicken cavity. I also add some thyme.
• Cook at 425 for 30 minutes (this makes the skin nice and crispy) and then turn the chicken breast side down, lower heat to 350, and cook until the right temperature (usually another 45 minutes)

The chicken is literally cooking in the broth -- no way it will get dry. 

[Elizabeth86]

7 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I have this exact problem right now. I don’t even remember buying this chicken!

The Costco cheese Chen I bought got turned into about 4 meals. This honkin big roaster is gonna be ten. I just can’t face it yet. 

I know I didn’t buy it because I only buy meat I know how to cook. Dh for sure bought it because our freezer is full of odd stuff I don’t know what to do anything with. 

[Clarita]

7 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I usually do, but for some reason there is one in my freezer and someone needs to do something with it. 🤣

I have one in my freezer my kids might inherit because I don't even want to think about defrosting it.

[Spy Car]

I will dissent from the advice to brine the chicken. Yes it keeps the breasts moist (protecting it--to a degree--from overcooking) but at a significant cost. Makes the chicken taste "processed" and it will have too much sodium.

Better to just not overcook in the first place IMO. The texture and flavor of a non-brined roasted chicken is far tastier than a brined bird.

The tip to roast breast down (and least for the initial stage of roasting) is a good one, as the fattier portions will help it self-baste. One can "right" the bird near the end to ensure golden skin.

Also a rub with olive oil or butter (with herbs and seasons) prior to roasting helps.

Bill

[Pam in CT]

I've never brined.  When the kids were here, I roasted whole chicken at least once a week.  There are a zillion ways to make it taste differently and to my mind it's among the most forgiving and easy things to make

Tricks to prevent dryness that work for me include

• Breast down, as noted by multiple pp, for most of the cook time (flip it up at the end and boost the heat if you want crispy skin)
• Cover in loose foil secured at the pan (I expect oven bags accomplish the same effect)
• Put gobs of onions and potatoes in the pan as well to keep everything moist
• Cook longer at lower heat (again crank it up at the very end to get crispy skin)

[cintinative]

We rotate the chicken on the v-rack in the oven so it starts breast side down and ends breast side up.  Also for the breast side up part we put 1 cup broth + 1 cup water in the bottom of the roasting pan.

 

ETA: From recipe (ATK)--this recipe is for two 3- 4 lb chickens but you could use it for one. Just watch your temp with a thermapen:
PREP CHICKEN Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika in small bowl. Pat chickens dry with paper towels. Following photo 1, rub mixture under skin and over outside of each chicken. Tuck wings behind back, and tie legs together with kitchen twine.

 ROAST CHICKEN Arrange chickens, breast side down, on V-rack set inside roasting pan. Roast until just golden, about 35 minutes. Remove chickens from oven and, using wad of paper towels, flip breast side up. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour 1 cup water and broth into roasting pan. Return chickens to oven and roast until thigh meat registers 165 to 170 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes.  Transfer chickens to cutting board and let rest 15 minutes.

Edited October 5, 2022 by cintinative

[marbel]

The lesson I learned about wet brining is - don't leave it too long. I once forgot about a chicken and left it in brine for a couple of hours... when I cooked it, the texture was terrible, very spongy.  

My problem with whole chickens isn't dryness, it's being sure it's cooked through. I have an instant-read thermometer which is accurate, but so often even when it tests done at the leg/thigh, I find it's still a bit icky right by the bone. It must be my technique - where I am sticking the thermometer. This is less of a problem when I spatchcock though. 

[pinball]

On 10/3/2022 at 9:15 PM, knittingmomof3 said:

Ina’s recipe is my go-to. It’s never dry. And it makes 3 meals. First night is the chicken. Second night is chicken salad on lettuce or bread. Third night is soup made with the carcass. I roast the chicken on a bed of 75/25 onions/potatoes. It’s our favorite meal here. 
 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe-1940592.amp

 

Enjoy!!!

Do you use the thyme?

and based on your reply, I’m assuming you don’t use the carrots or fennel, right?

[pinball]

35 minutes ago, marbel said:

The lesson I learned about wet brining is - don't leave it too long. I once forgot about a chicken and left it in brine for a couple of hours... when I cooked it, the texture was terrible, very spongy.  

My problem with whole chickens isn't dryness, it's being sure it's cooked through. I have an instant-read thermometer which is accurate, but so often even when it tests done at the leg/thigh, I find it's still a bit icky right by the bone. It must be my technique - where I am sticking the thermometer. This is less of a problem when I spatchcock though. 

You could always toss the icky areas back in the oven under the broiler. I’ve done this after I’ve taken the breast meat off.

[Elizabeth86]

16 hours ago, Clarita said:

I have one in my freezer my kids might inherit because I don't even want to think about defrosting it.

That made my day!

[knittingmomof3]

On 10/5/2022 at 10:37 AM, pinball said:

Do you use the thyme?

and based on your reply, I’m assuming you don’t use the carrots or fennel, right?

I use thyme and Rosemary. I skip the carrots and fennel. We love the potato/onion combo. More onions than potatoes. I toss them with a generous amount of olive oil and salt and pepper. And sprinkle with thyme. They caramelize beautifully. I also stuff the cavity (after liberally sprinkling it with sea sal and pepper) of the chicken with tons of minced garlic, a whole lemon sliced in half and Rosemary and thyme. I don’t bother with kitchen twine. I just tuck the legs so everything is held in place. 
 

Its so easy and every time I make it, I feel like an accomplished cook. My house smells amazing and everyone in this house loves it. That almost never happens here…

[Pam in CT]

re so easy and it makes the house smell so good

16 minutes ago, knittingmomof3 said:

...Its so easy and every time I make it, I feel like an accomplished cook. My house smells amazing and everyone in this house loves it. That almost never happens here…

I am most assuredly NOT an accomplished cook, but my late MIL may her name be blessed amongst the nations did.not.cook.at.all, not even a little bit. 

Long before my husband and I were married, I had her over for dinner -- something absolutely pedestrian and comfort-food like roast chicken, roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus, and green salad -- and holy canoli, from the instant she walked in the door and inhaled the smell of the tiny apartment the woman just RAVED, to my then-boyfriend, to my later-FIL, to her friends and extended family, on and on and on about what an accomplished cook I was (not true then, not true ever, still not true 4 decades later)...

[lmrich]

The aroma is amazing. I swear if I needed to repaint the entire house, I could talk my dh into doing it by roasting a chicken and sautéing some mushrooms. 

[madteaparty]

On 10/3/2022 at 8:16 PM, KungFuPanda said:

Have you tried spatchcocking it? You basically cut out the backbone and open it like a book. You press down on the breast bone until it breaks. Rub it all over with salt (and any other seasonings you like) the day before you cook it and use a thermometer so you know it’s not over or undercooked. It won’t take long and it’ll be juicy and flavorful with a nice crisp skin. 

I do this but I don’t take out the backbone, just sort of cut it so the chicken lays flat. And I use a buttermilk marinade but not really sure how much that’s adding.