SAM: Just a bit of seasonin'. I thought maybe if we was having a roast chicken one night or somethin'.
FRODO: Roast chicken?
SAM: You never know.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
A whole chicken can seem daunting. There’s skin and you can’t trim off the fat and other weirdness, plus you have to CARVE the thing afterward. This recipe makes the process easy – just put it in the oven, set a timer, and you’re good. Whole chickens also tend to go on sale and are quite economical. I usually serve the thighs and drumsticks the first night, and then reserve the breasts for adding to a salad or other dish later in the week. Two (or three!) meals in one is my jam. The carrots serve a few purposes – adding an easy vegetable to the dish, serving as a way to get air circulation under the bird without using a V-rack + roasting pan, and proving some insulation so the rendered fat does not spatter all over the oven and burn. They’re also really delicious. Round out the meal with some cauliflower, sautéed greens, or quinoa/rice/other grains.
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Walk-Away Roast Chicken. Serves 4.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
2lbs carrots (rainbow, if you can find them), peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, divided (optional)
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 250 degrees. Lightly coat a cast iron or other oven-safe skillet with 1 tablespoon oil or cooking spray. Place the carrots in the pan to form a square, with empty space in the middle.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then carefully separate the chicken skin from the breast meat, being careful not to break the skin. If using, place the butter underneath the skin, half per breast, then gently massage the skin to distribute the butter evenly.
Tuck the wings behind the back. Brush the chicken with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken, breast side up, in the pan atop the carrots, using the carrots to prop up the sides of the chicken. Roast until the thickest part of the breast registers 125 to 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 1½ to 1¾ hours.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees and Âcontinue to roast the chicken until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees and the Âthickest part of the thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. While the chicken rests, place the pan with carrots and drippings over medium-high heat and stir to coat carrots entirely. Carve the chicken and serve.