Roasted Chicken: The Whole Bird, and Nothing But the Bird

Growing up, my Dad made roasted chicken every Sunday. I ate so much chicken as a kid that I briefly stopped enjoying it.

The best thing about roasted chicken — especially if you live alone — is how much it can provide for you throughout the week. What’s dinner one night can be lunch for the next few days.

However, later in life when I learned how to roast a whole chicken, it quickly once again became part of my weekly diet.

The best thing about roasted chicken — especially if you live alone — is how much it can provide for you throughout the week. What’s dinner one night can be lunch for the next few days.

From the breasts to the oysters, roasted chicken should be a Sunday staple in every carnivorous home.

As I walk you through the process of roasting a chicken, let me offer the best piece culinary advice I’ve ever received: KISS. That’s short for Keep It Simple, Stupid, and roasted chicken is a dish where it applies beautifully.  You’ll be rewarded if you let the meat speak for itself.

What you’ll need:
1 Whole Chicken
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Roasting pan of some sort — I use a 12” skillet
Butcher’s String
Tongs
Cutting Board
Meat thermometer
Oven thermometer

Clean the bird
Remove the heart, liver, and neck. Pro tip: save the neck for stock and if you have a cat, lightly sauté the heart and liver for it to eat. Rinse the bird with cool water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for an hour to bring it to room temperature.

Remove the wishbone
Place the chicken, breast side up and find the wishbone at the tail end of the cavity. Glide a knife along the bone, releasing it from the meat. Discard.

Season and truss the bird
Salt and pepper the cavity and exterior. Next, cut a long piece of butcher’s string and position the bird so that the drumsticks are facing you. Place the string under the wings and tuck the wingtips under the back end of the drumsticks. Pull the end of the strings so that they’re even length and cross them over the breasts. Then wrap each end around the bone of the drumsticks and tie together tightly. Salt and pepper once more to ensure all skin is covered.

Preheat
Thirty minutes prior to cook time, preheat your oven to 425°.
Note, get an oven thermometer and use it––it’s worth the $20 it will cost you.

Cook the bird
Place the bird in a pan and roast for an hour and a half, or slightly more, depending on the size of the bird. Your bird is done when the thickest piece of meat is 165° and the juices that run from the cavity are clear.

Let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before you serve it.