The thought of roasting a whole chicken in the oven is intimidating to many home cooks, but if you follow a few simple rules, it's not hard at all. Once you master this technique, you will be pleased with the delicious, healthy, and impressive results!
w 1 whole roasting chicken, preferably 4-5 lbs
w 5-6 sprigs thyme
w 2 sprigs rosemary
w 1 lemon
w 5 cloves garlic
w 1 white onion, cut into 4 quarters
w 1/4 cup chopped scallions
w 4 carrots, washed, trimmed, and cut in half
w 1/2 lb (about 20) Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
w 1 Tbsp olive oil
w salt and pepper to season
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a roasting dish by greasing the bottom with a drizzle of the olive oil - you can use a glass casserole, a metal baking pan; anything that can go in the oven and will accommodate the chicken plus the vegetables.
2. Rinse the whole chicken under cold running water. If the neck and giblets are packed inside the chicken, remove them. (Some chickens will come with this stuff, some won't. They are a great addition to gravy or stuffing if you're feeling brave!) Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set it in the roasting dish, breast-side up. (Note: Be sure to wash out your sink with hot, soapy water after the rinsing process to get rid of any germs.)
3. Cut the lemon in half and stuff one half into the back of the chicken's central cavity. Then stuff in the herbs and 2 cloves of garlic. If there's room, you can put the other lemon half in the front of the cavity, but if not, just leave it out. Sprinkle the outside of the bird generously with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the other 3 cloves of garlic, the onion quarters, carrot halves, and Brussels sprouts around the chicken in the roasting dish. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and drizzle them with the remaining olive oil.
5. Now comes the tricky part: Figuring out how long to cook the bird. If your chicken is 4-5 pounds, it should take about an hour and 15 minutes. For larger chickens you should add 10-15 minutes per additional pound to the cooking time. There are two good methods to tell if your chicken is done: 1) insert a meat thermometer into the thigh-it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2) if you don't have a meat thermometer, make a small cut in the thigh - if the juices run clear, the bird is done, if the juices are pink, it needs more time.
6. A most important step: before slicing the chicken, let it rest for at least 10 minutes after you take it out of the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes for good, tender meat.
7. To serve, pull off the drumsticks and serve them whole (they should come off easily with a little twist). Similarly, the thighs should come right off with a little pressure, or the meat can be sliced off the thigh bones with a sharp knife. For the breast, slice off thin pieces of meat until you reach the bone. Don't be afraid to dig around-there are good pieces of meat to be found everywhere. Arrange the meat on individual plates with the vegetables, which should be tender and delicious from all that roasting!
Nutrition facts (per serving): Calories: 310, Fat: 12g, Sat. Fat: 3g, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 36g
- Molly Pindell
