The Best Roast Chicken You’ve Ever Had!

My friend Ed stood in my kitchen recently and told me the chicken leg he was eating was the best chicken he’d ever had…and commented that he didn’t usually stand and eat in someone’s kitchen, but was overcome by the cooked to perfection bird. I figured I’d share it with ya’ll.  Remember that Chicken Stock 101 article a tad back? This is how that stock starts out, roasted to where the skin is extremely crispy, but the meat, even the breast meat, is tender and juicy. The layer of butter, gelatin and fat in the bottom of the roasted pan is going to season my greens the coming week.  I will eat fresh chicken the first night, pull it off the bones the second night and start the stock.

  My Recipe;

1 3 or 4 pound Organic Cage Free Chicken

2 Tablespoon Organic Butter

Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and anything else you want; tonight I added minced garlic and fresh lemon zest…

Wash and dry the chicken. Pat dry. Reserve the innards. Preheat the oven to 450 degree oven. Melt the butter in the oven while it is preheating (might as well save the electricity..)..and then pour it over the chicken, rubbing with the back of a spoon to even it out. Then season the skin, place in oven for 25. Briefly open the door, turning the oven down to 300 degrees.  25 minutes later, turn it back up to 375, and roast until it reaches 170 degrees. Using an oven thermometer, stick it firmly into the thickest part of the breast, but not touching bone…Take it out of the oven, let in rest a few minutes and enjoy. Reserve everything; bones, pan drippings, fat.  We’ll talk more tomorrow about that……