The great thing about roast chicken is that people think it's fancy and difficult, when the truth is you can make a phenomenal roast chicken with about 15 minutes of prep and a lot of unattended oven-time spent doing other things.
First off, try and get a good, free-range bird, or a kosher bird; this will make all the difference in the world in terms of flavour, texture, and presentation. Factory birds are pale and white with little fat, while better quality birds like free-range and kosher have a rich yellow hue with more tasty fat throughout the bird. It may cost a bit extra, but it's worth it.
Herb Butter
2 Tbsp Summer Savory
2 Tbsp Parsley
1 Sprig Thyme
1 Cup softened butter
1 Tbsp Honey (optional)
Pepper to taste
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
The key here really is the herb butter, made with summer savory, a phenomenal herb with a citrusy flavour that compliments poultry exceptionally well. Inserted generously under the skin and massaged all over the bird, the herb butter will give you a crispy golden-brown skin with absolutely no basting or fussing about, it will also make the meat juicy and flavourful.
The Bird
1 Whole Chicken (Free range or Kosher)
1/2 Lemon
1 Bulb Garlic, cut in half through the middle
2 springs Thyme
Salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Rinse the bird with cool water, making sure to take out any giblets or innards included inside.
- Pat the bird dry, and season inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the bird with the lemon, garlic, and thyme. If you have a bigger bird, put in a full lemon cut in half.
- Now, gently take your two fingers and separate the skin around the breasts from the meat. Once you get one finger under, you should be able to just gently move your fingers around to separate the skin. Do NOT break the skin.
- Gently spoon in generous amounts of herb butter between the skin and the meat, massaging on the outside with your hands to distribute it as best you can.
- With any remaining herb butter, massage all over the outside of the bird.
- Place in oven until the bird is crispy and golden, and a small knife prick in the thigh produces clear juices.
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will definietly have to try this "herb butter" you speak of next time
ReplyDeletehow about "how to make a turkey for american thanksgiving"?
ReplyDeleteBasically do the same thing as above, but fill it with stuffing instead of lemon/ garlic/ etc. You'll have to wait for fall for me to do a Turkey!
ReplyDeleteHey, I just realized I totally plagiarized this chicken for dinner the other night (but sans Savory, which I will definitely have to try). I can attest that the skin was beautifully brown, and the meat was so juicy I had trouble with the juices getting all over everything when I carved it. Great recipe!
ReplyDeleteHaha, yeah I saw on Facebook that you'd made that and wondered if you'd made this particular recipe or if it was great minds thinking alike!
ReplyDeleteProbably accidental plagiarism, in which I read your post and then 'forgot' about it. In school, this is bad news, but in cookery, it is awesome!
ReplyDelete