I love a good Roast Chicken. I have roasted them, smoked them, fried them, (haven't Sous Vide them yet, but I want to learn) and grilled them. Chicken is such a great vehicle to try different salts, different herbs and different oils. I have found that you don't need to brine chicken (turkey is different, and that's a different post) but chicken loves to marinate! It freezes well too.
I am a huge fan of cooking my birds (turkey, game hens, chickens) using a stand. I have found that with the stand, they come out juicier and more evenly cooked. Also (my favorite part) you get the crispy skin all the way around the bird, BONUS!
Here's what I used on the Chicken: I always use Free-Range, Organic Chickens ALWAYS! This bird was about 4.5 pounds. I used Herbs de Provence, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
To figure out how long it will take to cook a whole bird, you take the weight of the bird and multiply it by 20... (it cooks 20 minutes per pound). Now to confuse you like crazy: If you are cooking with a convection oven, it will cook MUCH FASTER! So, I would subtract at least 20 minutes from the time.
I like to start off (convection or baking) cooking my birds at 400-425 degrees for the first 30 minutes. That will sear the outside and guarantee the juices stay in the bird.
Earlier in the day, I cut up the potatoes and put them in water. This will guarantee that the potatoes get crispier and they cook more evenly. Under the chicken I also added Organic Carrots that I peeled and cut off the tops, whole Garlic Cloves with their skins still on, and these beautiful Italian Onions that I found at the market (that ended up being so sweet and amazing! But you can use Pearl Onions if you would like). Here's the whole recipe for this chicken:
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Salt
I combined all of these in a bowl and rubbed them all over the chicken, inside, under the skin, everywhere. Then I drizzled some Extra Virgin Olive Oil on my hands and rubbed that all over the chicken. Then I put the chicken on a stand (that I got at the market) and stood the chicken in the middle of a baking sheet. On the bottom of the baking sheet, I nestled 1/2 lb carrots, 1 lb potatoes, 1 head of garlic that has been separated, 1/4 lb onions and I sprinkled with a bit of the rub that was left over. I also drizzled a bit of Olive Oil on top of the veggies.
Ok, if you are on the 30 Day Clean Eating Program, you could totally substitute the potatoes for Parsnips, Sweet Potatoes, Celery Root, Beets, or more Carrots!
Now, IMPORTANT! I forget this step EVERY DAMN TIME!!! Make sure that your chicken will fit in your oven BEFORE you preheat it! It's a pain in the ass taking a 400 degree shelf out of your oven LET ALONE finding a place for it! (It's so frustrating!)
When I put the chicken and veggies in the oven, I put 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock in the baking sheet. I roasted this little lady for about an HOUR AND A HALF and then (IMPORTANT) I let her rest for 15-20 minutes. This step makes sure that the juices go back into the meat of the bird. This step is important for all meats. I kept her standing, I placed her on the cutting board that I was going to use when I cut the meat and I tented her with some foil.
While the bird is resting, transfer the veggies to a large bowl or platter. This would be a great time to make gravy and salad. Gravy is so easy! I promise! Here's how I do it:
Take the drippings from the baking sheet and put it in a large measuring cup (the 2 cup measuring cup should work beautifully) and set aside.
In a skillet (I love using my Lodge Cast Iron Skillet for this) on medium heat melt 2 tbsp butter (or coconut oil works too!). When melted, add 1 shallot that has been finely minced and 1 clove of garlic that has been finely minced. PEPPER! I love extra pepper in my gravy, I add at least 2 teaspoons. Let that cook down for a bit (2-3 minutes) and sprinkle in 2 tbsp flour (or 2 tbsp Arrowroot powder. It has the same effects as the flour but no gluten) let this cook down, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a whisk for about 2-3 minutes. Now back to the drippings from the chicken... skim the fat off the top of the liquid. You can do this with a spoon or a ladle.
Using a whisk, as you are whisking away, slowly add the liquid from the measuring cup. KEEP STIRRING! If you need more liquid, you can add more Chicken Stock or Broth until you get enough gravy. It will gradually thicken up. Turn down the heat to LOW and then you can start carving your chicken!
I prefer to serve the chicken this way because you can drizzle some gravy over the top and it will slowly coat the veggies underneath. Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering right now!
I hope you like this post. Roasting a chicken really isn't hard once you just take the plunge and just try it! I would love to hear how you made this recipe your own! Leave your ideas in the comment section. Cheers!
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