Simple Roast Chicken

Simple Roast Chicken

Or salt and pepper chicken as my kids call it.

I love to roast a whole chicken. In fact, I roast one almost weekly. That’s how much I love it. So many people are scared to cook a whole chicken, already cut and prepared parts are less intimidating I suppose, but roasting one is a lot easier than people think. Its way easier than cooking a whole turkey, and faster.  I like it because of how “hands off” the cooking process is and I  can get a lot of other things done in the hour or so its in the oven, like pin things on Pinterest, watch some tv, prepare the rest of my meal, or drink wine clean up the kitchen.

Prepping a chicken is pretty quick. If you had your chicken in the freezer, make sure it is fully thawed and room temp before roasting. If it is still frozen inside it may not be fully cooked even if the thigh temp is at 180 deg F. Thaw, pull the packet of giblets out,rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

I truss the legs with kitchen twine ,only because I think it makes it look fancy, you don’t have to do it. I have never been professionally taught how, I just wrap it around and tie it tight. Salt and pepper the chicken liberally. I also do this when the chicken is in the roasting pan so I don’t get seasoning all over my counter.

After the chicken rests and is cool enough to handle, somewhat, I always tear a wing off and eat it. Don’t know why, I just do . There is just something about the salty, crunchy skin that is so good!

My kids love the breast meat chopped up with some of the baked on salt and pepper sprinkled over it.  This is just my way of roasting a chicken. Sure you can stuff things inside like onions and citrus, fresh herbs, smear with butter or oil, sprinkle any herbs or seasonings you want over the chicken. Really no wrong way to do it. We just like to eat it like this, because, well, its less work!

Simple Roast Chicken
AKA salt and pepper chicken. A delicious roast chicken recipe that makes for a perfect meal without too much fuss and leftovers can be used to make other recipes during the week much quicker to prepare.

Servings: 4-6
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 60-75 min
Total time: 90-105 min( including rest time)

Ingredients:
One 4-6lb whole chicken, thawed if previously frozen, room temp
2 tbsp Kosher Salt or sea salt, coarse grind
1 tsp fresh ground pepper, or more to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 deg F.(232 deg C) Rack positioned in middle of oven
Remove giblet packet and rinse chicken thoroughly
Pat dry with paper towels inside and out
Place in roasting pan, breast side up
Slightly cross the legs and tie the ends up tight with kitchen twine, tuck wings under the sides of the breasts
Generously sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the bird. Use more if you like. Don’t skimp!
Roast for 60-75 min. Check temperature at 60 min with a meat thermometer stuck in the deep part of a thigh. Temperature for cooked chicken should range from 180-190 in the thigh, 10 in the breast. If it’s not at 180 deg yet, roast another 5-10 min and check again. A larger chicken wil take longer to roast, you want at least 180 deg F and clear juices
Once done let the chicken rest 5-10 min and then transfer to a cutting board (with the wells on the edges so the juices don’t spill out on the counter everywhere) or a cutting board placed in a cookie sheet and let rest another 5-10 min to let the juices settle.
Carve, serve, eat, enjoy!

This was served with grilled veggies with a tomato sauce puree and goat cheese crumbles. Recipe coming soon!