Basic Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

We love roasted chicken.  My problem with most oven roasted chicken recipes is that the skin never gets crispy enough.  My basic oven roasted whole chicken recipe totally changes that problem.

By salting the chicken and letting it sit overnight, the skin gets really crispy while the chicken itself stays juicy.

Ingredients:

• 1 (4-5 pound) whole chicken, neck and giblets removed
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• Ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cover the chicken in salt the night before and refrigerate it uncovered.
2. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
3. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
4. Drain the liquid off the chicken and wash the salt off of it.
5. Place the chicken on a cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels.
6. Cut off and discard any extra fat hanging around the body cavity.
7. Drizzle the oil on the chicken and rub it all over the skin.
8. Generously season inside and out of the chicken with salt and pepper.
9. Place the chicken breast-side up in a large cast-iron skillet.
10. Roast the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes.
11. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue roasting until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (but not touching the bone) registers 165°F, about 50 minutes to 1 hour more.
12. Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cutting board.
13. Let it rest about 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

I make a basic oven roasted whole chicken about once every week to week and a half.  After the chicken cools, I pick the meat off the bones.  I save the bones in the freezer to make homemade chicken stock.  Saving the bones really helps cut the cost of making chicken stock.  I mix the white and dark meat together and then package it into 4 quart bags.  I freeze 3 of the bags and leave one in the fridge.

We use the oven roasted chicken on top of salad, in a sandwich, or on a plate for the girls’ lunch.  I also use it to make stir fries, chicken and spinach soup, and alfredos super quick.  Having the chicken already cooked makes throwing together a weeknight dinner as easy as pie.

James usually hates chicken skin, since it’s all slimy.  This crispy chicken skin is so tasty that it never survives the bone-picking process.  We eat it up.  Mmm, it’s like chickeny potato chips!

What’s your favorite use for oven roasted chicken?

Have a blessed day!

Brandi

[GARD]