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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
2 hours
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Makes
One roast chicken
Author Notes
This method of roasting chicken may not be the norm, I remember my Mother steam roasting a chicken in her black and white speckled graniteware pan and it was always so delicious. I love preparing the chicken this way, not only is it delicious but when you allow the chicken to steam undisturbed it’s not necessary to baste often and you are free to do whatever else you have to do without babysitting your chicken. The meat is tender and juicy and every bite is full of flavor.I stuff the cavity with aromatics, herbs and citrus, you can add what you like. Essentially, I steam the chicken which locks in the flavor and ensures that the chicken does not dry out and when its almost done remove the lid or foil and brown the skin. Make sure that you let the chicken rest before carving, the juices will re-distribute. When you steam the chicken the juices do not evaporate it also speeds up the cooking time. Serve with potatoes, (mashed are great) vegetables and you have a delicious comforting meal. The leftovers make an amazing sandwich. —sdebrango
Ingredients
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1
organic chicken (mine was a bit over 4 lbs)
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1
lemon cut in half with the visible seeds removed
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1
shallot peeled, divided and left whole
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2
cloves garlic left whole
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a handful of herbs I used thyme and parsley stems on
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salt and pepper to taste
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olive oil to rub on the skin
Directions
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Pre-heat oven to 375, wash and pat dry the chicken. Place in roasting pan (on rack if you have one). Salt the cavity and put the lemon, garlic, shallot and herbs in. Rub the skin of the entire chicken with olive oil, generously salt and pepper. Tie the legs if you want, it makes for a nice presentation but not necessary for the outcome. Cover pan with either a lid or tightly seal with aluminum foil. Bake for 90 minutes undisturbed. Check internal temperature after prescribed baking time, you are looking for an internal temp of 160-165. Remove pan from oven, increase the oven temp to 425 and take off the lid or remove the foil, baste or spoon some of the pan juices on the chicken and put it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until skin is golden brown, You can baste one more time before its completely done, not necessary but it is good if you can. You should have an abundance of pan juices which you can make into a gravy or spoon over the chicken as a thin jus.
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You want a finished internal temperature of 170-175. Remove from oven,lift the chicken onto serving platter and tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes so that the juices can re-distribute. You may have to adjust the steaming time depending on the size of your chicken, the 4 lb bird I made was done in 90 minutes with 20 minutes additional to brown the skin. I included the ideal temperatures if you use a thermometer, truth be told I don't use a thermometer with this method and have never had an under or over cooked chicken, using a thermometer will ensure that the chicken is done to the optimal temperature though.
I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember, am self taught learning as I go. I come from a large Italian family and food was at the center of almost every gathering. My grandfather made his own wine and I remember the barrels of wine in the cellar of my grandfathers home, I watched my mother and aunts making homemade pasta and remember how wonderful it was to sit down to a truly amazing dinner. Cooking for me is a way to express myself its my creative outlet. I enjoy making all types of food but especially enjoy baking,
I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I share my home with my two dogs Izzy and Nando.
I like to collect cookbooks and scour magazines and newspapers for recipes. I hope one day to organize them.
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