ROAST CHICKEN

Over the years I have tried roasting a chicken any number of ways,trying out various methods, such as stuffing the bird with lemons, garlic, herbs,using different roasting temps- but never quite getting it right. Until i tried this way. Uber Chef Thomas Keller’s (French Laundry,Bouchon, Per Se) method. It is simple and if you follow it it will produce a tender, juicy, crispy roast chicken. I’m still a fan of deli rotisserie chickens- especially for making chicken salads and the like-but they do contain a lot of additives and do little to improve the taste of the chicken. Of course, the quality of the chicken itself is very imported. I use fresh organic chickens - they cost more but they taste much better and are better for you. You might have to search around for a grocer that can supply you with a good organic chicken- but the search will be well worth the effort. PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN One 2-3 # farm raised organic chicken kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper 2 t fresh thyme-removed from stems Remove the chicken from the fridge about 1/2 hour before cooking. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Dry it very well with paper towels. The less it steams and the drier the heat, the better. Salt and pepper the cavity and truss the bird -trussing helps the bird cook evenly and makes for a more beautiful roasted chicken. Place the bird in a roasting pan. Now, salt the chicken,-rain salt over the chicken- about 1 T- this will result in a crispy,salty, and quite flavorful skin. Grind black pepper evenly over the bird. Roast in the oven- until it’s done 50-60 minutes- the skin should be crispy and golden brown and the internal temp should be 160-170 degrees. I don’t baste the chicken or add butter- i feel this creates steam, not good for a crispy bird. No need to peek. I usually take the battery out of my smoke detector as the chicken fat gets to smoking. Have the hood fan on and the windows open if possible. When done,Toss the thyme into the bottom of the roasting pan and baste the bird with the thyme infused juices. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before carving. Serve with dijon mustard on the side and a simple green salad. How easy and how good! back to homehttp://www.happyinthekitchen.com/Site_2MarciasKitchenHome/Site2/Marcias_Kitchen_Home.html

Carving tip: Remove the entire breast and slice into about 3/4 inch slices- that way everyone gets some of the delicious  crispy skin.