Sunday Roast Chicken
Like my mother, I believe that few dishes are as tasty and sumptuous as simple roast chicken. But of course, chicken has to be done right to achieve star status. Be sure to get the freshest, best-quality ingredients and watch carefully while chicken is in the oven to make sure you don’t overcook it. For best results, cook chicken in a 350°F (175°C) oven and, if you have a convection setting, be sure to use it.
With a wet cloth or paper towel, wipe chicken all over, inside and out. Dry thoroughly. To make sure it’s dry, I often place my chicken on a kitchen towel, such as a flour sack towel, and leave it sit uncovered for about 10 or 15 minutes to dry thoroughly. While the chicken is drying, I do my preparations so that everything is ready to go once the chicken is dry.
With your fingers, remove the leaves from the sprigs of thyme and, with a very sharp knife, chop them fine. Place in a small bowl. Then remove the needles from the rosemary sprigs and chop them fine, as well. Combine the chopped herbs and add a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix with your fingers and set aside.
Place a rack inside a shallow roasting pan or on a baking sheet with a ½-inch lip (see photo). Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and, if you have an option to use a convection setting on your oven, this is a perfect time to do so.
Carefully and slowly insert your hand at the top of the breast to loosen the skin over the breast and atop the thighs and drumsticks, being careful not to tear the skin. Take a few spoonfuls of the thyme and rosemary mixture and distribute it evenly under the skin over the breast, thighs and drumsticks.
Put a generous sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper inside the body cavity. Add lemon and garlic cloves. Fill cavity with a few whole sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Using kitchen twine, truss the chicken, tying the legs together and extending the twine up the sides and to the top of the chicken to seal the neck cavity. Or, if you prefer, you can sew or skewer the neck cavity closed and tie the legs together.
Rub the entire outside of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Or if you have any of the herb mixture left over, you can sprinkle that on the outside of the chicken rather than salt and pepper.
Place chicken on rack in roasting pan and place in middle of 350°F (175°C) oven. Roast chicken for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until golden brown and juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer. (Chicken is done when internal temperature registers 165°F (75°C) on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.) Baste chicken every 20 minutes or so using a pastry brush and brushing chicken all over with pan drippings.
Remove from oven and let rest for about 20 to 30 minutes before carving. If desired, place pan drippings in a bowl and spoon off any fat that comes to the surface. Then heat briefly and spoon over meat. Serve immediately.
Photography by Jim White
Carol White
Carol White is a Napa Valley-based food writer and editor who has passionately devoted herself to the study of food and cooking. She was previously based in Toronto, where she worked as a food editor for one of Canada’s most popular magazines, Canadian Living, and edited a weekly food column for Canada’s largest newspaper, The Toronto Star. Carol is also the editor of the highly successful President’s Choice Cookbook and President’s Choice Barbecue Cookbook. Over the years, Carol has evolved a style of cooking that friends call “Cuisine Carolaise.” While not French, per se, Cuisine Carolaise can be described as rustic, clean, rich in flavor and based on the freshest, best-quality ingredients available.