Perfect Roast Chicken, Every Time
Use this no-fail recipe for a comforting dinner everyone will love.
by Erin Henderson
Years ago, chefs I worked with would often ask potential hires to roast a chicken as part of the interview process. The idea being that with such a simple preparation, there’s nothing to hide behind – no finishing touches of truffle oil, no dollops of foam, no pearls of caviar adorning the plate – a back-to-basics recipe reveals someone’s culinary acumen quickly and easily.
Roasting chicken isn’t difficult, but the challenge lies in the simplicity. Juicy meat, crisp skin, penetrating flavour requires patience in cooking, and good ingredients. That’s it. But that’s everything.
I’ve tried many versions of roasting chicken – smearing butter under the skin, but that just resulted in soggy skin. Roasting it upside down to allow more fat to drip through the breast, which just became an annoying, and slightly dangerous, extra step when it came time to flip over the hot bird. This is the version that works for me, without fail, every single time.
I strongly recommend investing $20 in a good, digital meat thermometer and purchasing the highest quality chicken your budget will allow.
Most store-bought chickens are about four pounds, which should work for four people. If you are serving a bigger crowd, simply roast two birds. That way there are more wings and legs to go around for those who favour those cuts. A 4lb chicken should take about an hour and 20 minutes to cook through (regardless of how many birds are in the oven), but again, a thermometer takes the guess work out of cooking.
Use up leftover meat in this terrific chowder, and don’t throw away the carcass. It makes beautiful stock that can be frozen for future use.
Pair a classic Chardonnay for this creature comfort meal.
Perfect Roast Chicken
Serves: 4
Chef level: Easy
Ingredients:
- 1 best-quality chicken (roughly 4 lbs)
- Handful of mixed aromatic herbs like thyme and rosemary
- 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- ½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- ½ cup good quality chicken stock
- 3 Tbsp good, salted butter, softened
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make It:
- Preheat the oven to 475°F
- Check the chicken carcass for the neck and giblets, and freeze for making stock or gravy later (optional but highly recommended.)
- Stuff the chicken cavity with herbs, lemon, and garlic.
- Spread softened butter on top of the skin, being careful not to tear it, and sprinkle on lots of salt and pepper.
- Put chicken on a roasting pan with a rack and pour the wine and chicken stock in the bottom of the pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and immediately turn down to 425°F
- The chicken is ready when a thermometer stuffed into the thickest part (don’t touch the bone) reads 160°F. Juices should run clear.
- Let sit, covered with foil, for 30-40 mins until cool enough to handle, then carve.
To Make a Sauce:
While the chicken is reasting, set the roasting pan over medium heat. Add 2-3 Tablesppons of all-purpose flour and whisk constantly until a smooth paste forms and it's slightly golden. If more liquid is needed pour in a cup or so of chicken stock and stir until the sauce is smooth and no flour lumps are visible. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and scoop the fat that rises to the top. Serve with the chicken when ready.