How to Cook a Chicken Roast

Variations on roast chicken recipes abound. Some cooks stuff the bird, while others spread herbs under the skin. Some cook at high temperatures, others at low, but the basic dish is economical and easy to fix. Fancy preparation techniques aren't required, and cooking it doesn't take expert kitchen skills. An inexperienced cook can create a tasty meal in a couple of hours. While the chicken is roasting, prepare classic comfort food side dishes like mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and homemade biscuits.

Things You'll Need

• 1 whole roasting chicken 1 stick of cold butter 1 head of garlic Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp. olive oil Kitchen twine Shallow roasting pan with rack

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Remove the giblet packet from the chicken's cavity and then rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Reserve the giblets for gravy or cook them thoroughly and incorporate them into your pet's food.

3. Separate and peel the cloves on the head of garlic. To easily peel the garlic once the cloves are separated, lay them on your cutting board, place a chef's knife flat on top of them and use the heel of your hand to smash the cloves under the knife. Slip off the peels.

4. Place the chicken breast-side up on a clean cutting board. Put the stick of butter and the garlic in the cavity. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the outside of the chicken. Pour the olive oil over the salt and pepper and use your hands to spread the oil over the surface of the chicken.

5. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together then transfer the chicken breast-side up to a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Put the chicken in the preheated oven. Cook a 5 to 7 pound roaster, uncovered, for 2 to 2 1/4 hours.

6. Check the chicken for doneness by inserting a thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken, usually the thigh. It should read 165 degrees. If you don't have a meat thermometer, pierce the chicken and see if the juice runs clear. If it does, the chicken is done.

7. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let it rest, loosely covered, for 10 minutes, then carve the chicken.

Tips & Warnings

• For a healthier recipe, omit the butter and olive oil and remove the skin before serving. Scoop the garlic out of the cavity and use it in garlic mashed potatoes, or spread it on melba rounds. Use the cooking juice to make gravy by adding flour, whisking briskly until the flour and juices thicken and then whisking in water until the gravy is the desired consistency. For especially juicy chicken, brine the bird overnight in a solution of salt, sugar and water.

• Remember to wash your hands, cutting boards and utensils thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling chicken to prevent cross-contamination.

Resources

• Chicken Roasting Times
• Food Safety Tips
• National Chicken Council