Everyone hates dry, overcooked chicken. Roast chicken done right is juicy and full of flavor. Done wrong, it's flavorless and dried out and needs tons of gravy to compensate.
Unfortunately, more often than not, we defer to store-bought, ready-made, hot rotisserie chicken. So convenient, but not nearly as tasty as home-made. Have you forgotten how real roast chicken is supposed to taste like? Want the secret to juicy whole roasted chicken? It's really simple chicken recipe, stuffed with lemon, onion, garlic and herbs. Bring back the homemade family dinner.
How to Cook Whole Roasted Chicken
The best tip I have is to microwave the lemon before you put it inside the chicken, for about 30 seconds. As the inside of the chicken is the coldest, and takes the longest to cook. By microwaving the lemon, you ensure the chicken reaches the correct internal temperature. I also never put a whole unsliced lemon inside the chicken cavity. While it looks pretty and easy, it doesn't add enough flavor to your meat. Cut the lemon in slices or ¾ of the way through, then microwave it. You can eat the cooked onion and garlic with your meal. Sometimes throw a chili pepper inside too, for a mild spice.
How Long Does It Take To Roast a Chicken?
The cooking time is dependent on the size of your chicken. As a guide, chicken cooks at approx 25 minutes per pound or 500g of weight at this temperature. It's always safest to use a meat thermometer to check, inserting into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. It's safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165°F/75°C. If you don't have a meat thermometer, the check when the juices run clear and the meat easily separates from the bone. Checking internal temp is always safest.
What's the Secret for Juicy Chicken Every time ?
Here it is... Make sure you place the chicken breast facing down on the roasting pan. That's right, an upside down roast chicken. This will make sure the chicken remains juicy and full of tasty, as the flavor flows down to the breast while it cooks. It may not look as pretty as a chicken with the breast side up, but taste is king. All these things together make the secret to making Juicy Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary. So now you have my chicken dinner secret, you're gonna love it. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 lemon sliced
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 chili pepper optional
- ½ small onion
- 5 cloves garlic - smashed
- olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F/190°C
- Rub chicken with chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over.
- Microwave lemon for 30 seconds
- Insert hot lemon, rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic, and chili inside the chicken cavity.
- Place chicken (breasts facing down) on a roasting pan with a wire rack into the oven. Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the pan and put in the oven.
- Keep in oven for approx 30 minutes until it crisps up and is lightly golden.
- Cover with foil for remaining cooking period. Baste the chicken several times if possible. Remove foil for last 10 minutes of cooking to crisp skin to a golden brown.
- Chicken cooks at approx 25 minutes per 500g/1lb of weight at this temperature. When the chicken is cooked and the juices run clean and the meat easily separates from the bone, Cover with foil again to allow to rest of 10 minutes. Enjoy!
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