Roast chicken is a satisfying dish that showcases a straightforward cooking skill. But not everyone has sufficient skills to make the perfect roast chicken. And this America’s test kitchen roast chicken guide could help you have a great roast chicken for dinner. So, be sure to read on for more information about how to make a tasteful roast chicken. But before diving deeper into how to make a great roast chicken, you should know the following first:
How to shop for a whole chicken
If you visit any supermarket, you will find various birds (chicken) sitting on the shelves waiting for you to pick one up and put in your shopping cart. But you should note that not all birds on the supermarket shelves are the same. They vary depending on various factors such as what they were fed on. You might find some birds labeled “free-range,” “organic,” or “vegetarian-fed” birds.
Each of these birds might yield a different taste from the rest, and this might be a reason to carefully choose one that will taste best for you. So, the question is “how do you shop for the best bird?”
Read the label on the chicken very carefully
When reading the label on the poultry package, you might find that it says the bird was air-chilled. These are birds that did not undergo chilling with chlorinated water. As a result, they are more flavorful and are more tender.
Other chicken might have the USDA Organic label on them. These are chicken that accessed the outdoor space and consumed organic feeds with no animal byproducts. Also, these are chicken that was raised without antibiotics. So, you have these two types of birds or chicken to choose from. But you can be sure to find other labels that claim your chicken is Natural-raised or is Vegetarian-fed when that’s not the case.
Once you have sourced your bird from the market, you will need a few supplies before you can get started. These supplies are called ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
- ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- A recipe pan sauce (optional).
Cooking directions
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Put a 12-inch skillet that is oven safe on the rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix salt and pepper in a bowl. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry. And then rub the entire chicken’s surface with olive oil.
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper mixture all over the chicken’s surface so the chicken is evenly coated.
- Put the chicken in the skillet with the breast sides facing up. Roast the chicken for 25 to 35 minutes when the breast has registered a temperature of 120 degrees and the thighs have a reading of 135 degrees.
- Turn the oven off and let the chicken stay in the oven until the breast is 160 degrees hot and the thighs are 175 degrees hot. This might take 25 to 35 minutes.
- Remove the chicken out and transfer it to a carving board and let it rest for 20 minutes. Do not cover the chicken when it is on the carving board. If you will be using pan sauce, you can prepare it and carve the chicken before serving it to your guests.
A 4-pound chicken is ideal when you’re looking to feed 4 people. Also, this weight will require you to roast the chicken for 25 to 35 minutes. However, you might need to roast a larger bird for 35 to 40 minutes. This will make sure that the breast and thigh have finished cooling at the same time.
How to carve the chicken
Once your roast chicken has rested for 20 minutes, you are ready to use your chef’s knife and carving board for this part. We also recommend carving the chicken in the kitchen since this job is a bit messy.
You will start with the leg quarter. In this part, you will start cutting the chicken where the leg meets the breast. Separate the leg joint so you can remove the leg quarter. Simply pull the leg quarter away from the carcass and you will be all set.
The next step is separating the drumstick and thigh. And to do this, you will cut through the joint that connects the drumstick to the thigh. You will have to repeat the same process for the other leg.
Remove the breast meat. Cut down on the bird along the side of the breast. And as you cut the chicken, pull the breast meat away from the breastbone. Once done, you can slice the breast meat. But before you do this, be sure to cut through the wing joint and remove the wings. You can cut the breast meat crosswise into slices, and you will repeat the whole process for the other side of the breast.
Nutritional value of roast chicken
You can expect your chicken to contain 423.1 calories per serving. Also, it will provide you with 30.9g protein, 1.2g carbohydrate, 32.1g fat, 97mg cholesterol, and 661.9mg of sodium. With all these nutritional content, roast chicken proves to be beneficial to the consumer. You can reap more nutritional benefits if you serve the roast chicken with other foods. If you’re looking for what to serve with roast chicken check out the details below.
What could you serve with roast chicken?
During one of those cold weather chicken dinners, you could serve the roast chicken with root vegetables. Also, you could have your roast chicken with fluffy dinner rolls. Braided winter greens served with bacon and onion can also be delicious with roast chicken.
But if you’re looking to have Peruvian-style dinner, you can serve your roast chicken with some salad and herb vinaigrette. Spicy Mayonnaise with roast chicken is also tasteful and delicious. You can always spice things up by serving roast chicken with other foods.
By using this America’s test kitchen roast chicken guide, you can treat your guests at a diner to mouthwatering roast chicken. So, why not take the initiative to make your guests dinner that is worth remembering?
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