15 Tips You Need For Roasting Whole Chicken

The most suitable chickens for the purpose of roasting are called, of course, roasters. These birds weigh more than 5 pounds, according to the USDA, while broilers, sometimes referred to as fryers, weigh between 2½ and 4½ pounds. Broilers are also as satisfactory as roasting chickens, though the yield is less. While bigger might be better in other situations, we think smaller chickens are often more flavorful. Fresh chicken should be plump, with a pinkish hue. Poke it with your finger; does it resume its former shape quickly? Look for signs of bruising and tearing in the skin, which often affects quality and freshness. Make sure to check the best before the date before selecting.

Other factors include personal principles. Will your chicken be organic, free-range, or antibiotic-free? Many people believe that these designations affect the taste of the bird in a positive way. Ethical considerations can also come into play with such certifications as free-range, cage-free, and pasture-raised, though this does not always mean that the chickens are treated in a humane fashion. Keep in mind that your pocketbook will probably be lightened a little more when purchasing one of these over a standard supermarket bird.

Sometimes you bring a chicken home and decide that you're not in the mood to roast it, and instead deposit it in the fridge for another day. That might be fine for upwards of 48 hours or so on the outside, but you're still running the risk of giving the family salmonella unless you check the bird closely before putting it in the oven. First up is obvious, but necessary: Check that expiration date again.

Next, examine the chicken closely. If the flesh has taken on a slightly grayish tinge then you'll need to chuck it. Give it the smell test. Your uncooked chicken should smell of nothing at all, but if it's gone bad you'll be able to tell by the stench of rotten eggs. Is the chicken slimy? That's also a bad sign, and no amount of washing the bird will fix that. Unfortunately, you'll have to chuck the chicken in the garbage and buy another one.

There are plenty of satisfactory ways to roast a chicken but cooking is a constantly evolving science, and chefs like Jamie Oliver are always finding ways in which to tweak it. For instance, Oliver has been known to advocate for marinating chicken with a preparation that includes just over a couple of cups of milk. He suggests adding other elements like herbs, garlic, and lemon zest, but it's the calcium in the milk that does the trick of tenderizing the meat and making it that much more delicious.

Since calcium is the mineral you're looking for in this process you can also opt for other possibilities other than the standard 2% milk. One percent is acceptable, though you might want to add a little lemon juice or equivalent for acid, and buttermilk is even better. You don't have to stop there if you're into kitchen experiments. If you want to really stretch your culinary skills, think about yogurt, which can add a delectably creamy texture to the finished product.

There really is nothing worse than setting out to make supper and discovering that you've forgotten something. Not just in terms of ingredients, but also with tools that are necessary for preparing your meal. With a roast chicken that might mean a baster or a pastry brush to use in applying melted butter with herbs and spices to the bird. A cutting board is absolutely essential when dealing with raw chicken; make sure to have some vinegar on hand to wash it down when you're done.

Other items you might want to have handy when preparing your feast include a sharp knife for cutting, a paper towel to dry the chicken before preparing with a rub, kitchen twine to tie the legs together so that whatever you opt to shove in the cavity stays there, and a digital thermometer to make sure the chicken has been cooked to 180 degrees F. Finally, rather than frantically looking around, you're going to want to have some oven mitts on hand to pull out your dinner when it's done.

We can all get a little set in our ways when it comes to cooking, but sometimes it's a good idea to rethink our normal practices. For instance, when choosing the vessel that we plan on roasting a chicken in. There are actually a few schools of thought on this, and none of them are really wrong. Some people opt for an oven-proof skillet, while others are satisfied with a roasting pan and rack.

The traditional roasting pan is certainly one way to get the job done, but consider using a half-sheet pan for more effective heat distribution. Celebrity chef Ina Garten suggests that using a half-sheet pan is far more conducive to roasting because the shallow side allows hot air to circulate more easily around the chicken. Also, it makes for a much easier cleanup at the end of the night if you line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Also known as "butterflying," this method, which involves removing the backbone with kitchen shears and then flattening it, decreases cooking time and also results in tender, flavorful meat. It might seem that cutting out cartilage is a difficult and unnecessarily messy thing to do, but once you've done the operation a few times it becomes much easier. It's also a favorite among celebrity chefs; Ronnie Woo is a big proponent of spatchcocking.

Once you've completed the task of removing the backbone you can rub butter and herbs under the skin to help with the roasting. You then spread the chicken out on a pan, pulling the wings and legs apart to flatten it as much as possible. If you want to make a one-pan dish, you can also roast potatoes and other vegetables around it as it cooks. Not only will you be able to get the bird in the oven and out in a faster time, but it also helps with making the skin crispier.

The chicken is in the oven but that doesn't mean you can totally relax. If you want to offer a prime piece of bird then basting the chicken is just as important as any of the others on this list. Scooping the liquid up from the bottom of the pan and pouring it back on stops the bird from drying out, and it also helps with flavoring and coloring. As with other steps that involve opening the oven, you don't want to do this too often because the temperature fluctuations will interfere with the roasting. Some people use a baster, pulling the juice up in a tube to squirt directly on the chicken, while others will use a basting brush; either way is perfectly acceptable.

If this seems like a lot of work or you don't want to risk drying out the chicken by constantly opening the oven then there are other options. Some people have found that cheesecloth soaked in a butter preparation with herbs, wine, or oil, and then placed on the chicken for the entire time it bakes, is a great way to avoid the constant need to baste. You'll trap in the flavor, keep your chicken moist, and also give yourself time to do other cooking-related activities.

We've all had the assortment of vegetables roasted underneath a chicken, and we can all agree that they're a perfect complement to the roast chicken itself. But there are other possible side dishes making use of the fat dripping down from the bird as it cooks, including homemade croutons. What better way to re-purpose that day-old bread than tearing it into small chunks and letting the chicken do the work of turning it into chewy or crunchy croutons?

It's a simple proposition that allows the bread to gain flavor via whatever herb or spice mixture you use on your chicken. Either tear them into bite-sized portions and toss them into the bottom of the roasting pan for the chicken to turn into yummy morsels, or use the drippings later to fry them up. Either way, you'll have a tasty side dish that can be used alongside the chicken or with soups and Caesar salads.