I know what you’re thinking.
I know, but I’ll say it anyway. “What – you’ve never roasted a chicken before?”
That’s right. I can honestly say that up until this week the only times I have eaten one have either been when someone else has cooked it or I’ve gone up to the deli counter, handed over a ten dollar note, to get a barbequed one in return. I acknowledge this is one of the larger holes in my already sieve-like repertoire. So I decided to turn the situation around.
Trouble is, every chef has their own favourite take on this classic and rather than go in circles by getting dazzled by choice, I thought it best to start at the basics.
Here’s what I did.
Roast Chicken
Ingredients
1.5kg Chicken
1 lemon, squeezed and halved
50gms soft butter
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 clove garlic, crushed
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Rinse chicken under a tap and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Pour lemon juice over the chicken and put halves in the chicken cavity.
4. Gently, without tearing, separate the skin from the chicken flesh along the two breast sides using your fingers.
5. Mix the remaining ingredients together, along with salt and pepper to taste, and with scoop the mixture into the pockets you just created, distributing the mix as widely as possible.
6. Put a wire rack inside a baking tray and place chicken on top. Lightly cover with a aluminium foil.
7. Put into oven to bake for 30mins. Remove the foil and leave to bake for another 40min. Test with a skewer near the thigh to see if juices run clear – then it’s ready.
8. Remove from oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
1. I believe you’re supposed to tie up the legs with unwaxed twine? Do you think I had any of that in the house? Of course not. It still worked fine.
2. I didn’t baste the chicken either and it still ended up very moist.
3. I made gravy from the pan juices but we shall not speak of that disaster.
4. One of Keira’s friends was over the night we made this and I got an all-round thumbs up. Huzzah.
This is week two of the 1 recipe a week for a year ‘living list’ challenge.
If you are participating in NaBloPoMo leave your name and link URL for the day in Mr Linky. If you’ve blogged about your NaNoWriMo or PiBoIdMo experiences you are welcome to leave your link as well. Please only use the Linky for these reasons and a link back here would be appreciated.
I’m supporting Movember this month. Here is my fundraiser page.
