Roasting a Chicken - Pic Heavy

[*Peanut*]

Ok, so for you cooking newbies, here is how I roast a chicken. Melissa reminded about putting some butter under the skin, which I added as a step here (in case you want to do it).

Ok, here is the chicky right out of the package:


(I have it on a shallow pan, but I think it cooks better in a 9 x 13 cake pan or other roasting pan.)

I flip the chicky over and pul out the stuff in the cavity:



I find that if I cut out the backbone and lay the chicken flat, it cooks much better. So, here is how I do it:

Get a good kitchen scissors and cut up one side of the back bone:





Then repeat along the other side:



Your chicken will end up looking like this:


(Keep the backbone in the pan because it will make the juices more flavorful!)

Flip the chicken over, placing the neck and gizzards underneath:



If you want, you can mix a few Tbsp of room temp butter with some salt, pepper, and herbs:



Spread the butter under the skin. For the leg, I go in from here:





And for the breast, I go in from here:





You can see the butter and herbs under the skin:



Use remaining butter on skin and liberally season with salt and pepper:



There are 2 ways you can bake the chicken, either:

400 for 1 hour 15 min to 1 hour 30 min (depending on the size of the bird)

or

275 for 1 hour and then 425 for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the size of the bird)

Just bake it uncovered so the skin gets nice and crispy!! I like to spoon the juices in the pan over short grain white rice (salt and pepper it too) and it is to die for!!

Here it is all done:

[puppyloven]

very nice! I like on teh second pic you wrote "pul" instead of "pull" tee-hee

[*Peanut*]

Originally Posted by puppyloven very nice! I like on teh second pic you wrote "pul" instead of "pull" tee-hee

cloth diaper much? I know, I thought about changing it, but then I was too lazy!!

[puppyloven]

I love it!

[drkelli]

Thanks-I am doing this tonight!

[*Peanut*]

Originally Posted by drkelli Thanks-I am doing this tonight!

You don't have to slather butter under the skin, if that makes it easier for you! But, it does get the meat nice and seasoned.

P.S. You may want to rinse the chicken and the back bone in the sink after you cut it with the scissors IF you didn't cut super cleanly. Just in case there are little tiny boney bits from the cutting!

[hbee]

Um, yum!

[Esthersmommy]

GREAT tutorial!!

If you are roasting a bigger bird, my mum always taught me... 20 minutes per pound then an extra 20 for good look. If you cook the bird the other side up, a good indicator than it is cooked are when the legs fall open away from the body.

If you don't like crispy skin or skin at all, and like super moist chicken...

Place some inch thick slices of potato in your baking pan, just enough to sit the chicken on, then fill with water to the top of the potatoes. Cover with foil, most likely you'll need 2 peices, lift the foil a little where the 2 pieces meet to allow steam to vent.

You can also make a super gravy from what is left at the bottom of pan!

[*Peanut*]

Originally Posted by Esthersmommy GREAT tutorial!! If you are roasting a bigger bird, my mum always taught me... 20 minutes per pound then an extra 20 for good look. If you cook the bird the other side up, a good indicator than it is cooked are when the legs fall open away from the body. If you don't like crispy skin or skin at all, and like super moist chicken... Place some inch thick slices of potato in your baking pan, just enough to sit the chicken on, then fill with water to the top of the potatoes. Cover with foil, most likely you'll need 2 peices, lift the foil a little where the 2 pieces meet to allow steam to vent. You can also make a super gravy from what is left at the bottom of pan!

Ohhhh... good tips, mama. I want to eat dinner at your house!!

[hbee]

DH isn't home this weekend and I desperately need to go grocery shopping. I'd like to eat dinner at any of you ladies places tonight.