Best Weeknight Roast Chicken Cooks Illustrated Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN

Roast Chicken image

With an ingredient list just four items long (chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper), the genius of this bare-bones roast chicken is in its technique. To make it, thoroughly preheat a cast-iron skillet before sliding into it a seasoned bird, breast side up. In under an hour you'll get a stunner of a chicken, with moist, tender white meat, crisp, salty chicken skin, and juicy dark meat all done to a turn. If you don't already have a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold a whole chicken, this recipe is a good enough reason to invest in one.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories dinner, easy, weeknight, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 3

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Put a cast-iron skillet on a low rack in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with the oil and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
When the oven and skillet are hot, carefully put the chicken in the skillet, breast side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Continue to roast until the bird is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh reads 155 to 165 degrees.
Tip the pan to let the juices flow from the chicken's cavity into the pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Carve and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 673, UnsaturatedFat 34 grams, Carbohydrate 1 gram, Fat 51 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 50 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 949 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams

WEEKNIGHT ROAST CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON-LEMON PAN SAUCE RECIPE - (3.7/5)

Weeknight Roast Chicken with Tarragon-Lemon Pan Sauce Recipe - (3.7/5) image

Provided by Foodiewife

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 whole chicken , giblets discarded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 recipe pan sauce (optional) (see related recipes)
Tarragon-Lemon Pan Sauce
Makes about 3/4 cup
Ingredients
1 shallot , minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pepper

Steps:

For the chicken: 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 12-inch ovensafe skillet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine salt and pepper in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub entire surface with oil. Sprinkle evenly all over with salt mixture and rub in mixture with hands to coat evenly. Tie legs together with twine and tuck wing tips behind back. 2. Transfer chicken, breast side up, to preheated skillet in oven. Roast chicken until breasts register 120 degrees and thighs register 135 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Turn off oven and leave chicken in oven until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. 3. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. While chicken rests, prepare pan sauce, if using. Carve chicken and serve. For the pan sauce: While chicken rests, remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from now-empty skillet (handle will be very hot) using large spoon, leaving any fond and jus in skillet. Place skillet over medium-high heat, add shallot, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and mustard, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen fond. Simmer until reduced to ¾ cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter, tarragon, and lemon juice. Season with pepper to taste; cover and keep warm. Serve with chicken.