This chicken won't last long.
As the old saying goes, "A bird in hand is better than two in the bush." But a bird in the oven is even better yet. Make that bird a chicken and you're on your way to a mouth watering meal. Chicken is cheap, relatively low in fat and with the number of free range options available today, you can enjoy the flavor without (too) much remorse of conscience. You might think breasts are best or wings are the thing, but for flavor and value, the whole chicken is what you should be picking. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and calculate the cooking time. The bird will need 20 minutes per pound to cook, plus an additional 10 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove the giblets (heart, liver, and gizzard) from the chicken. You will very likely find these bagged inside the cavity. Reserve them for later use in stuffing of gravy.
3. Clean the chicken, inside and out, with cold water. Be sure to pat it dry so that the skin crisps.
4. Salt and pepper are the most basic seasonings. Experiment with others.
Rub the skin with butter or olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
5. Place the chicken on a wire rack inside a roasting pan. Keeping the bird elevated allows the fat to drip away away from the meat.
Cooking
6. Place the chicken in the preheated oven. After 20 minutes of cooking remove it (making sure to close the oven door to keep the heat in) and baste the bird with the juices that have collected in the bottom of the pan. You can use a spoon, brush, or baster for this step. Return the chicken to the oven and repeat this process every 20 minutes to keep the meat moist and the skin from burning.
7. Check the chicken's temperature upon reaching your calculated cooking time. Put the thermometer into the thick part of the bird's thigh being careful not to touch the bone. The temperature should be 180 degrees to ensure that the heat has eliminated all harmful bacteria.
8. Allow the chicken to rest for 15 to 20 minutes upon taking it from the oven. This will make for a moister bird, as the juices will have settled into the meat.
Tags: cooking time, Place chicken