roast chicken - how long, what temp?

[Anonymous]

What's the temperature/how long?

I've roasted whole chicken twice and the first time it worked perfectly, but 2nd time the chicken still had pink areas in the middle. The areas I checked have reached 180 temp but when I cut it open it still was not done. Thankfully it was just us so I cut it up and put it in for 20 more min. That's over 2 hrs!

I did 425 for 20 min and then lowered the temp to 375.

How do you roast your chicken?

[Anonymous]

It all depends on the weight/size of the bird. If the first chicken was smaller, there's your problem right there.

Don't lower the temperature during the cooking -- it's not a pie I roast my chicken at 450 for about 1 hour for a 2-lb bird. A 3lb bird would be about 1 hr and 15 minutes. Add about 15 mins for each pound.

YOU MUST TRUSS THE CHICKEN to get great results! Period. Keeps the legs from drying out.

And if you're like me and you don't use a thermometer, check that the juices in the legs -- when they are running clear, the chicken is done. After you roast it, be sure to give it 15 minutes, tented with foil, to rest before you carve it.

[Anonymous]

It's 20 minutes per pound at 450.
I never tent my chicken, it takes away the crisp!

[Anonymous]

I do 20 minutes per pound at 400 in the regular oven or 380 in the convection. Never had pink chicken ever. I also use a chicken roasting stand which makes the chicken crispy all over and yet still juicy. I sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

[Anonymous]

We always butterfly our chicken. It cooks much faster. You can roast a 5 pound bird at 450 degrees in about an hour. We first saw this method on America's Test Kitchen a few years ago and have used it ever since.

[Anonymous]

Using a rack, I roast mine at 400* -- 25 minutes each wing side and 30-40 minutes breast side up, for a total of about 1.5 hours or so. Comes out crispy every time. I always use a meat thermometer to make sure it's done (175* in the breast).

[bakersman]

Anonymous wrote:It all depends on the weight/size of the bird. If the first chicken was smaller, there's your problem right there.

Don't lower the temperature during the cooking -- it's not a pie I roast my chicken at 450 for about 1 hour for a 2-lb bird. A 3lb bird would be about 1 hr and 15 minutes. Add about 15 mins for each pound.

YOU MUST TRUSS THE CHICKEN to get great results! Period. Keeps the legs from drying out.

And if you're like me and you don't use a thermometer, check that the juices in the legs -- when they are running clear, the chicken is done. After you roast it, be sure to give it 15 minutes, tented with foil, to rest before you carve it.

This is pretty much what I do as well. But also let your chicken rest 15-20 minutes before you cut into it to allow the juices to redistribute. if you want crispy skin, cut slits between the drumbstick and thighs to let the fat out.

[Anonymous]

this has worked well for me
This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #117
1 4-lb. chicken
1 lemon
22 fresh sage leaves
3 cloves garlic
6 tbsp. unsalted butter,
at room temperature
Kosher salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
Ground black pepper, to taste
8 sprigs parsley
2 small onions, quartered
2 carrots, cut into 2" pieces
Fleur de sel
1. Heat oven to 475°. Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Peel lemon, avoiding white pith. Finely chop lemon peel, sage, and garlic together; place in a bowl. Add butter and 1 tsp. salt. Stir to combine. Quarter the peeled lemon; set aside.
2. Using your fingers and a small, sharp knife, loosen skin of chicken from breasts and thighs. Slip butter mixture between skin and flesh, spreading it evenly. Rub skin with oil; season skin and cavity with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff with quartered lemon, parsley, and 1 quartered onion. Tie legs together with kitchen twine, if you like.
3. Put remaining quartered onion and carrots into center of roasting pan and place chicken on top of them. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 400?. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (without touching bone) reads 165°, about 1 hour more. Transfer chicken to a platter; sprinkle with fleur de sel; let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
SERVES 4
This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #117

[Anonymous]

saw a neat trick for roasting chicken, upright, propped up on a tube pan with its legs sticking in the air. use a half sheet or roasting tray underneath to catch drippings, and your bird will have crispy skin all over.

[Anonymous]

I love the foodie word for butterfly: spatch-cock!
Here's Jacques Pepin's version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogwXvV_LcJE