Easy roast chicken

Growing up, my mother routinely cooked chicken for Shabbat dinner on Friday night.  It seemed decent to start, but as I got older it got less and less acceptable.  You might be familiar with the bird I'm talking about: dry, crumbly breast meat and flabby, chewy skin coated in stale paprika were common.  I still loved eating roast chicken, but I knew something better was out there.  Mom cooked her chicken in a covered roaster pan at 325ºF.  Really, she could have done better.

Like many recipes, this one initially came about as part of an accident.  I was used to cooking my chicken at 375º, uncovered; but while the breast was good, the skin was still mediocre.  One day I started cooking the bird at too high a heat, then realized my mistake and tried to deal with it by some low heat cooking.  It turned out beautifully, actually, with perfectly done breast, thighs and skin.  However, it was still a little labor intensive.  I have tried a variety of temperatures and methods.  This isn't quite the easiest, because you have to flip your bird once, but it is still pretty darn easy.

Here's the method I use to roast my chickens, which are usually five to five and a half pounds.  When it is on the high end I may add another minute or two to the cooking time.

Preheat your oven to 425ºF and get out your proper-sized roaster pan.  Get out your fresh or properly-thawed chicken.  I prefer fresh.  Remove any giblets or other things the meat packer may have packed in the cavity of the bird, like the neck.  It's a good idea to rinse your bird with the coldest water your sink can offer, inside and out, then pat it dry, but if your bird is especially fresh and not smelly you can skip this if you are in a rush.

Place your chicken on your roaster pan, breast side down.  Put it in the oven for 45 minutes.  Use a timer if you have one, it's better for your personal wear and tear.  At the end of 45 minutes, take your chicken out of the oven and flip it to breast side up.  Now, cook it for another 30 minutes.  At the end of that time, take your chicken out of the oven, turn off your oven unless you have something else cooking in it,  and walk away for at least 5 minutes, preferably 10.  If you have a cat, be careful of where you place your chicken.  You do not want cat spit on your carefully roasted bird.  Now, cut into your chicken and serve to your hungry, hungry guests.  It won't be rotisserie chicken, but it should be even juicier.

Enjoy!