Basic Roasted Chicken
serves 4
Once you master the technique for roasting a chicken, stuff the cavity with cut lemons or fresh herbs, or combine butter or oil with citrus zest, garlic and herbs and spread it under the skin.
Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.
3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (or room-temperature salted butter)
prep: 10 minutes
total: 1 hour 10 minutes
paper towels
small roasting pan
aluminum foil
fat separator or measuring cup
1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the chicken. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Fold the wing tips back behind the neck end. Transfer the chicken to a small roasting pan. Using your fingers, spread the oil or butter evenly over the skin of the chicken.
3. Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375F. Roast for another 15 minutes. Then cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
4. When the chicken has roasted for a total of about 30 minutes, begin checking the temperature. The chicken is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180F. The total cooking time will be about 60 minutes.
5. When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a fat separator cup or a measuring cup. After 1 to 2 minutes, the fat will rise to the surface and the juices will be on the bottom. Remove and discard the fat. Cut the chicken into quarters or carve as desired. Serve the chicken with the defatted pan juices spooned over.
