Chicken Recipes

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Choosing a Chicken  |  Chicken Parts  |  Trussing Chicken  |  Roasting Chicken  |  Cutting Up Chicken
Boning a Chicken  |  Butterflying Chicken  |  Making Chicken Stock  |  Making Chicken Sautes
Poaching, Casseroling & Braising Chicken  |  Chicken Stuffings

Roasting Chicken

Where would family gatherings be without the time-honored roast bird? Beyond the favorite chicken, all types of poultry can be roasted — from Rock Cornish hens to large turkeys. However, older, tougher birds are better pot-roasted.

1. Wipe the bird inside and out with damp paper towels, stuff, if desired and truss it. Spread the breast of chicken with soft butter or oil; bard a lean game bird; prick the skin of duck or goose.

2. Set the bird breast up on a rack in a small roasting pan or shallow baking dish. If you are roasting a lean game bird, set the bird in the pan breast down.

3. Roast the bird, basting every 10 minutes after the first 30 minutes with the juices and fat in the pan. If browning too quickly, cover with foil.

4. Put the bird on a carving board and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Meanwhile make a simple sauce or gravy with the juices in the pan.

SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN
Squeeze the juice from a halved lemon over a 3-3½-pound chicken, then push the lemon halves into the body cavity. Smear 1 tablespoon softened butter over the breast. Roast in a 375°F oven for about 1¼ hours. Skim all fat from the roasting juices, then add ½ cup water and bring to a boil, stirring well to mix in the browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, and serve this sauce with the chicken. Serves 4.

PROTECT & FLAVOR
Before roasting, loosen the skin on the breast by gently easing it away from the flesh with your fingers. Press in softened butter mixed with herbs or garlic for extra flavor - and smooth back the skin. To bard poultry, cover the breast with slices of bacon before roasting.

ROASTING TIMES FOR POULTRY Note: Cooking times given here are for unstuffed birds. For stuffed birds, add 20 minutes to the total roasting time.
ROCK CORNISH HEN	1 - 1½ pounds	1 - 1¼ hours at 350°F
CHICKEN	2½ - 3 pounds 3½ - 4 pounds 4½ - 5 pounds 5 - 6 pounds	1 - 1¼ hours at 375°F 1¼ - 2 hours at 375°F 1½ - 2 hours at 375°F 1¾ - 2½ hours at 375°F
DUCK	3 - 5 pounds	1 ¾ - 2¼ hours at 400°F
GOOSE	8 - 10 pounds 10 - 12 pounds	2½ - 3 hours at 350°F 3 - 3½ hours at 350°F
TUKKEY (whole bird)	6 - 8 pounds 8 - 12 pounds 12 - 16 pounds	3 - 3½ hours at325°F 3 - 4 hours at 32 5°F 4 - 5 hours at 325°F
TURKEY (whole breast)	4 - 6 pounds 6 - 8 pounds	1½ - 2¼ hours at 325°F 2¼ - 3¼ hours at 323°F