No words needed to describe the love of having a Sunday roast with all the family around the table enjoying a juicy roasted whole chicken, crispy skin and plenty of flavors. Nobody needs to know how easy it is to prepare it!
How to choose a chicken?
Keep in mind that buying a whole chicken costs slightly less than buying parts. On the other hand, a whole chicken about 2 kg (4,4 pounds) can feed about 6 persons. If you need to feed more people prepare two whole chickens or add the needed amount of extra pieces either drumsticks or breasts.
To start with Check the “best by date”, also look at the chicken, it should be pinkish and not soggy, smell if you can. Buy one that has skin on, if possible prefer a chicken that has skin-side up, so you can actually see it. The chicken should be moist and plump.
If you can get an organic chicken. If not get one from a farmer’s market. Read labels looking for no antibiotics, access to pasture. Hormone use is already illegal in many countries.
Once you buy the chicken make sure to get back home quickly and carry it in an insulated shopping bag to keep the chicken cold until you reach home.
Roasting vegetables for sides
I always think that a roasted whole chicken would not be complete without roasted vegetables, so prepare wedged or coarsely chopped potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic cloves. Season these with the same seasonings as the chicken. Replace butter with olive oil and add a sliced lemon.
How to prepare the chicken
Remove all packaging, including the packet of offal if included. You can cook the chickens offal while roasting, but these should be taken out of the package.
Pluck feathers if any. These are safe to eat, but not tasty or pleasant at all.
Cut off any skin parts in the joints and end of the wings and around the cue that are just skin that will not brown well and too fatty.
Rinse scrubbing inside and out with cold flowing water and pat dry with a kitchen towel to help the bird brown.
Seasoning ingredients for roasted whole chicken
Salt and black pepper is just enough to carry your roasted chicken to the next level. Consider adding the following:
- butter
- garlic
- cumin
- rosemary
- thyme
- basil
- oregano
- tarragon
- smoked paprika
Use fresh herbs if available, otherwise use dry.
How to season the chicken
Salt and pepper the chicken inside and out generously. Use fresh ground black pepper, if difficult with one hand, ground in a small plate and then sprinkle with one hand, while holding the chicken in your other hand.
Combine the butter and all the spices and herbs. Spread and rub this mixture all around the chicken including under the skin over the breast on top and the bottom side. Without ripping the skin, carefully separate the skin from the flesh with your finger, a chopstick or the back of a spoon and also push in some of the spread for additional flavor. Make sure each and every part of the chicken is well covered.
How to roast the chicken
The oven should be preheated to 220°Celsius (430° F) top and bottom with fan. Cook at 220°Celsius (430° F) for 15 minutes, then reduce to 190° Celsius (375° F) for the remainder of the roast.
Place the chicken in the grid rack after seasoning. The breast side should be facing up. You can tie the drumsticks if you like with a baking tread. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken as they tend to burn. Place the oven tray right below it. Put the seasoned vegetables in the oven tray. They will become amazing absorbing and cooking with all the chicken drippings.
During the roast, baste the chicken with its own juice half way through cooking time and at the end. Roast until cooked thoroughly. Check with an internal thermometer to measure 75° Celsius (165° F). Keep in the oven until it is golden and crispy.
Let rest for 10 minutes after taking out of the oven and serve while still warm.
Even by itself this roasted chicken and vegetables will be enough to satisfy those around the table, but go ahead and please them even more by making a rice pilaf as a side.
Roasted Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 kilograms whole chicken (2,4 pounds)
- 75 grams butter softened
- 4 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon tarragon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon basil
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
Vegetables for Roasting
- 6 medium potatoes peeled and wedged
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 onion quartered
- 2 cloves garlic cloves
- 1 lemon sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon tarragon
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°Celsius (430° F) top and bottom with fan.
- First prepare the seasonings. Add all in a small bowl and mix with softened butter.
- Remove all packaging from the chicken, cut off any excess fat and pluck feathers if any. Wash rubbing inside and out of the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the chicken inside and out generously with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Then spread and rub all around, including the inside of the chicken with the seasoning mix.
- Without ripping the skin, carefully separate the skin from the flesh with your finger, a chopstick or the back of a teaspoon and push in the seasoning mix for extra flavor.
- Place on the grid rack in the middle of the oven.
- Place the oven tray filled with seasoned vegetables for roasting right under the chicken. Just mix everything listed in the ingredients under roasted vegetables and toss into the tray.
- Cook at 220°Celsius (430° F) for 15 minutes, then reduce to 190° Celsius (375° F) for the remainder of the roast.
- Baste with the chicken's own juice after half an hour.
- Roast for between an hour to an hour and a half, until golden and crispy – depending on the performance of your oven.
- Do not cover. If possible check internal temperature from the thickest part of the chicken to reach 75° Celsius (165° F).
- When you take the chicken out of the oven, let rest for 10 minutes and serve while still warm.
- Drizzle with juices and serve with roasted vegetables.