Roast Chicken
Roast Chicken
This is a go-to recipe in KIlKenney Kitchen. The easy cooking method produces a juicy, delicious chicken every time. I think it pays to get a good quality chicken in the recipe. I typically buy a few of them when they are on sale at my local coop or the farmer's market. I love to use my Lodge Cast Iron pan to roast a chicken, but any roasting pan works wonderfully. Roast an extra one and use it throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 pound whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large lemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Take the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Place it, breast side up, in a Cast Iron Skillet or other roasting pay and dry it off with a paper towel
- Cut the lemon into large pieces. This is the perfect place for the less than beautiful lemons hiding in your refrigerator drawer.
- Peel the garlic
- Place the lemon pieces and whole garlic cloves into the cavity of the chicken. Feel free to add any herbs you like as well.
- Grab your kitchen string (if you have some). I use it for a variety of recipes, so it's worth buying some next time you're at the grocery store. No worries if you don't' have it, the chicken will still be terrific.
- Using a long piece of the kitchen string, tie the chicken legs together in front of the cavity. This will help the chicken to stay together and cook evenly.
- Brush the chicken with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Sprinkle the chicken with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
- Roast the chicken for 50 minutes and check it. The chicken is done when it measures 156 degrees on a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the thigh, the legs and wings move loosely and the juices run clear. It will take between 50 minutes and an hour and a half depending on your oven and the size of the chicken.
- Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes before carving to let the juices absorb back into the meat
- Share this delicious Roast Chicken along with your favorite side dishes like mashed potatoes or curry roasted cauliflower. It's always a hit with family and friends.
