American cuisine

Easy

Perfect Roast Chicken

Name: Perfect Roast Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hr
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ea. Whole chicken; 1½ tsp. Salt; 1 tsp. Black pepper

Chef Terri Wahl

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Let’s just get the best from the humble roast chicken. This is a tutorial to get the best cooking coverage and the crispiest golden skin effect and a great learning tool when you are starting out roasting for the first time.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 10 min

COOKING TIME: 1 hr

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 10 min

4 SERVING

Ingredients:

1 ea. Whole chicken
1½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black pepper

Directions:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°F/230°C.

Step 2

Clean chicken. Make sure there are no feathers left. Take out the heart, giblets, and kidney.

Step 3

This next step is non-negotiable. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 1 ½ hour to come to room temperature. If you skip this step you will end up with an unevenly cooked chicken, cracked skin, and raw towards the bone.

Step 4

Once chicken is at room temperature pat it dry with a paper towel inside and out. The less moisture on the bird the better.

Step 5

Salt and pepper inside and out. Do not oil the chicken, or butter. Leave it dry. Don’t add vegetables to the pan or inside the chicken, as this will only steam the chicken. You want to bake it at a high, dry heat.

Step 6

Put the chicken on a sheet pan and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour. Pull the chicken out after 1 hour and check to see if it is done. Wiggle the back legs to see if it moves easily and feels like it’s going to come off easily. If so then it is done.

Step 7

Enjoy!