Survival Skills: Roast Yourself a Perfect Chicken

Knowing how to roast yourself a good frikin chicken should be like knowing how to change a flat tire or build a fire. (Not that I excel at these.) There are hundreds of recipes out there but this one is foolproof. I've prepared it dozens of times in five different states, and the recipe has never failed me. Best of all, this roast chicken requires just a few easy ingredients and demands no more than 15 minutes in the kitchen. Throw a handful of small potatoes and chopped carrots in the pan and you have a meal. Added bonus: you have awesome leftover chicken sandwiches the following day.

You will need:

• 1 whole chicken, between 2 - 3.5 lbs.
• kosher salt
• large roasting pan
• 1 lemon
• a few sprigs of thyme
• small potatoes, carrots (optional)
• kitchen thermometer

Invest in a kitchen thermometer. It is virtually impossible to cook meat to perfection without one, unless you have magical temperature-sensing powers. You can pick one up at any kitchen supply store or at Amazon for just $7.

While this recipe hails from the fancy-schmancy Thomas Keller, this roast chicken is for the masses. The only item I suggest shelling out for is the chicken. Go for the local, pasture-raised chicken if it's available. Not only is it processed more humanely (both for the animals and workers) but also these birds aren't shot up with antibiotics and water and just taste better.

TIME TO COOK

Start by taking your chicken out of the refrigerator. Leave it wrapped on the kitchen counter or in the sink for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place your whole chicken (breast side up) in a large roasting pan. According to the USDA, raw poultry should NOT be washed. Rinsing raw chicken in the sink splatters bacteria everywhere instead of eliminating it. Check this out.

Now, the most important step. Using paper towels, thoroughly pat and dry your chicken inside and out, leaving as little moisture as possible on (and inside) the bird. According to Keller, a dry bird will produce a golden, crispy skin, while a damp chicken will steam and become soggy in the oven. 

Next, tuck the wing tips under the chicken to prevent them from burning. If you know how to truss a bird and have kitchen twine handy, go for it. If not, do not worry. Your chicken will still be delicious.

Get your kosher salt at the ready. Holding the salt above the chicken, gently rain down a layer of salt, coating the bird inside and out. Use a generous tablespoon of salt. Polish it off with a few grinds of fresh pepper.

Slice the lemon. Stick wedges in the cavity of the bird along with a couple of thyme sprigs. If using vegetables, scatter these around the chicken.

Place roasting pan in the center of a hot oven. Your bird will be done in 45-50 minutes, when a thermometer (inserted in the largest part of the thigh) reads 165 degrees. Juices will run clear. Let the bird rest for 10 minutes before carving.

To finish: Swirl the remaining thyme in the juices that have collected in your roasting pan. Spoon over chicken. C'est easy, non??

Pro tip: Roast chicken and dijon mustard are meant to be together.