how to roast a whole chicken?

melt71

Did my monthly shop for April tonight and managed to get 2 whole chickens for a quid each.

I've never roasted a whole chicken before (yes really!) so any tips of how to get it cooked to perfection and as tasty as possible?

Ideas;
I have lots of herbs and spices, lemon, lime, lots of veg, olive oil, butter, garlic, bacon, white wine, honey etc

nearlyrich

I usually stick an onion and/or a lemon in the body, butter under the skin when I AM NOT ON A DIET, sage in or on it. Put it in a baking dish/ roasting tin and stick it in a hot oven on full for 20 mins....then turn the heat down, should tell you on the packaging how much it weighs and possibly how long to cook it for. I turn the heat to gas mark 5 and cook it till the juices run clear.

Nice crispy skin and lovely moist meat enjoy.

sunnth

I usually put half a lemon inside the chicken then blob some butter on the top and/or drizzle some olive oil over the top. Rosemary or sage are good herbs to add and a little salt and pepper. Then I cook it in a very hot oven, gas 7, I usually do a 1.2 -1.5kg chicken for about 1hr 15 mins - 1hr 30 mins. Stick a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh to check the juices are clear. I cook on a high heat because the skin becomes really crispy and the flesh is still juicy. The most important thing though is to let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes after coming out of the oven, I usually leave it for up to 30mins covered with cling film. Sometimes I squeeze more lemon juice over the chicken when it comes out of the oven - depends on how lemony you like it.

melt71

Thanks very much to both of you. That seems reasonably easy! I'll give it a go and see what results I get.

black-saturn

You can put it in the slow cooker if you have one for about 4 hours with a little water and a few herbs in the bottom. The meat just falls off then.

melt71

Unfortunately I haven't got a slow cooker so I'll have to stick to the normal cooking method, thanks anyway.

bylromarha

If we aren't feeling adventurous, we just pop it in the oven, follow the times on the back of the label and crumble a chicken OXO cube on the skin.

It's getting the roast tatties right, at the same time to eat with the chicken...that's the real art!

comping_cat

I normally just put it into a tray, and roast until golden and the juices run clear, when i stick a knife in the thigh!!!! I use the chicken juices to baste it every half an hour, and then add any flavours afterwards (lemon chicken for example) if i want to, or use the juices to make a lovely gravy!!!! I love roast chicken just as it is!!!!!

melt71

I never thought of an oxo cube, so thanks!

rchddap1

Actually have a chicken to do myself at some point. There's only 2 of us and I decided to get one and give it a go....but haven't had the time as yet to sort it out. Hopefully I'll be able to do it in about a week's time. It'll free some much needed space in the freezer....until I return the remnants that is (possibly in the form of a pie)

melt71

Thanks Catherine, I'm getting hungry now with all these lovely suggestions. I think putting the flavourings on at the end is a good idea as I'm cooking for 3 different meals; roast, chicken curry and then probably chinese chicken & noodles so I don't want the flavourings to be too obvious.