Roasted chicken is one of the classic chicken dishes that can be prepared in many different ways. While some people prefer to cook this dish on high heat, others may go for slow cooking. It can be prepared with or without stuffing. You may opt for basting the chicken or do away with that. You may truss it or leave it loose, while cooking. It can be roasted whole or in pieces. So, there are umpteen methods of preparing roasted chicken recipes.
Tips to Roast a Chicken in the Oven
In order to roast a whole chicken, you can get a frozen or fresh bird. Frozen ones have to be thawed overnight. Clean the chicken and remove the giblet and excess fat inside the cavity. It is always better to roast the chicken with its skin on, as it is the skin that retains moisture and makes the flesh juicy. Once washed, pat the chicken dry with clean cloth or paper towels. The next step is to add the seasonings and stuffing. If you want a simple roasted chicken, then, brush it with butter/olive oil. Rub both the outer and inner surfaces with salt and freshly ground black pepper powder. The choice of seasonings is entirely yours. You may also use herbs, like, rosemary, thyme, tarragon and sage, for seasoning. Even garlic cloves, onion slices and lemon/orange wedges can be used for this purpose. You may also use some of the seasonings beneath the skin of the bird, for added flavor.
Once done, you can start with cooking the chicken. Place it with its breast side up, on a roasting rack that is kept on a shallow baking pan. You may either truss it, but, trussing is not needed for small birds. It is normally done in case of heavy stuffing or if the bird is very big. Now, place the baking pan in the oven that is preheated to 375 F. The cooking time may vary with the size of the bird.
How long to roast a chicken? Cooking time for roasting chicken can be calculated by adding 20 minutes for every pound of the bird and an extra ten to twenty minutes. So, a four pound bird may take around one hour forty minutes to get roasted properly. In case of stuffed chicken, an extra twenty minutes cooking may be required. You have to use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the bird. If properly cooked, the thermometer will register a temperature of 180F, when inserted into the thigh. Basting can be done by removing the baking pan at regular intervals and pouring the juices collected in the pan, over the chicken. Once done, remove the oven-roasted chicken and serve after 15 to 20 minutes.
Other Methods
In order to roast chicken breast, all you have to do is to place them on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty foil and add the seasonings. The next step is to bake the chicken breasts for around 40 minutes, in the oven preheated to 350 F. If you are searching for ways about roast a chicken on the grill, then, follow this method. If you are using gas grill, then, turn on the burners and keep them on high, before closing the lid for 10 to 15 minutes. After that open the lid and turn the heat to low, leaving a single burner on high. You have to cook the chicken (marinated) over the burner on high heat. Allow each side of the chicken to cook for around three to four minutes each. Once done, move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill and place it with its skin side up. You may brush the chicken with barbecue sauce and cook for ten minutes, before turning the side. Cook for another five to seven minutes. If done, you can remove the chicken from heat. Otherwise, cook further and check for doneness, in between.
In short, roasting chicken is one of the easiest and delicious methods of cooking chicken. You may try different roasted chicken recipes and master the art of preparing perfect roasted chicken.
0 comments:
Post a Comment