Traditional Roast Chicken - hearty dishes
The almost universal appeal of roasted chicken stems from its power to comfort.The ideal roasted chicken recipe will
leave your chicken golden brown and gleaming , tender and juicy .
The crackle of chicken as it roasts and the wondrous aroma that perfumes the kitchen provoke a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment .The potatoes were always crowded around the edges of the pan and become crusty during baking .
Ingredients
Serves 4
25 g / 1 oz butter , softened
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped
toasted walnuts
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1 oven- ready chicken, weighing
1.8 kg / 4 lb
1 lime ,cut into quarters
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp water
lime wedges and fresh rosemary
sprigs, to garnish
roast potatoes and a selection
of freshly cooked vegetables ,
to serve .
Method
1 . Mix 1 tablespoon of the butter with the garlic , walnuts and parsley in a small bowl . Season well with salt and pepper . Loosen the skin from the breast of the chicken without breaking it . Spread the butter mixture evenly between the skin and breast meat . Place the lime quarters inside the body cavity .
2 . Pour the oil into a roasting pan . Transfer the chicken to the pan and dot the skin with the remaining butter . Roast in a preheated oven , 90 C / 375 F / Gas Mark 5 , for 1 3/4 hours , basting occasionally , until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat . Lift out the chicken and place on a serving platter to rest for 10 minutes .
3 . Blend the cornflour with the water , then stir into the juices in the pan , Stir over low heat until thickened , adding more water if necessary , Garnish the chicken with lime wedges and rosemary sprigs . Serve with roast potatoes and a selection of freshly cooked vegetables and spoon over the thickened juices .
Roast chicken tips:
Seasoning the skin- When roasting the chicken , the easiest thing to do is to season its outside :just sprinkle your favorite herbs and spices on the surface of the chicken , Some seasonings that go well with chicken are :
Salt and pepper - Try sprinkling a small handful of salt from a foot or two above the chicken .This will let the salt rain down on the chicken and coat it evenly .
Fresh herbs like thyme and tarragon . Tarragon is especially good if you stuff the chicken with lemon .
Garlic, fresh or granulated . Onion is good too .
Spices like paprika or chili powder .
Seasoning the skin is really easy .You barely have to handle the bird and you'll be done in just a few minutes . But there are a few disad vantages :
The skin helps protect the chicken from drying out , so you really need to be leave it on whether you plan in eating it or not . But it also protects the chicken from the seasonings!Your herbs and spice will taste great on the skin , but they won't season the meat as much as seasoning under the skin .
If you're not planning on eating the skin , you'll be throwing out a lot of those delicious seasonings .
leave your chicken golden brown and gleaming , tender and juicy .
The crackle of chicken as it roasts and the wondrous aroma that perfumes the kitchen provoke a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment .The potatoes were always crowded around the edges of the pan and become crusty during baking .
Ingredients
Serves 4
25 g / 1 oz butter , softened
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped
toasted walnuts
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1 oven- ready chicken, weighing
1.8 kg / 4 lb
1 lime ,cut into quarters
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp water
lime wedges and fresh rosemary
sprigs, to garnish
roast potatoes and a selection
of freshly cooked vegetables ,
to serve .
Method
1 . Mix 1 tablespoon of the butter with the garlic , walnuts and parsley in a small bowl . Season well with salt and pepper . Loosen the skin from the breast of the chicken without breaking it . Spread the butter mixture evenly between the skin and breast meat . Place the lime quarters inside the body cavity .
2 . Pour the oil into a roasting pan . Transfer the chicken to the pan and dot the skin with the remaining butter . Roast in a preheated oven , 90 C / 375 F / Gas Mark 5 , for 1 3/4 hours , basting occasionally , until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat . Lift out the chicken and place on a serving platter to rest for 10 minutes .
3 . Blend the cornflour with the water , then stir into the juices in the pan , Stir over low heat until thickened , adding more water if necessary , Garnish the chicken with lime wedges and rosemary sprigs . Serve with roast potatoes and a selection of freshly cooked vegetables and spoon over the thickened juices .
Roast chicken tips:
Seasoning the skin- When roasting the chicken , the easiest thing to do is to season its outside :just sprinkle your favorite herbs and spices on the surface of the chicken , Some seasonings that go well with chicken are :
Salt and pepper - Try sprinkling a small handful of salt from a foot or two above the chicken .This will let the salt rain down on the chicken and coat it evenly .
Fresh herbs like thyme and tarragon . Tarragon is especially good if you stuff the chicken with lemon .
Garlic, fresh or granulated . Onion is good too .
Spices like paprika or chili powder .
Seasoning the skin is really easy .You barely have to handle the bird and you'll be done in just a few minutes . But there are a few disad vantages :
The skin helps protect the chicken from drying out , so you really need to be leave it on whether you plan in eating it or not . But it also protects the chicken from the seasonings!Your herbs and spice will taste great on the skin , but they won't season the meat as much as seasoning under the skin .
If you're not planning on eating the skin , you'll be throwing out a lot of those delicious seasonings .
