Simplest Whole Roast Chicken, 8 Ways

Name: Simplest Whole Roast Chicken, 8 Ways
Total time: PT-496085H22M58S
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat); 3 tablespoons olive oil; Salt and pepper; A few sprigs fresh tarragon, rosemary, or thyme (optional); 5 or 6 cloves garlic, peeled (optional); Chopped fresh herbs for garnish

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 1 hour, largely unattended

Scale

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
A few sprigs fresh tarragon, rosemary, or thyme (optional)
5 or 6 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
Chopped fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

Put a cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet or roasting pan on a rack in the lower third of the oven and turn the heat to 450°F. Rub the chicken with the oil, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and put the herb sprigs inside the cavity if you’re using them.
When both oven and pan are hot—start checking after about 15 minutes—carefully put the chicken, breast up, in the hot skillet or pan; if you’re using garlic, scatter it around the bird. Roast undisturbed for 40 minutes, then check for doneness; an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh should read between 155° and 165°F. Remove from the oven or continue roasting, checking every 5 minutes or so, until it’s done.
Tip the pan to let the juices from the chicken’s cavity flow into the pan; if they are red, roast for another 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. If you like, pour the pan juices into a clear measuring cup, then pour or spoon off some of the fat. Discard the herb sprigs. Reheat the juices if necessary, cut the chicken into quarters or pieces (or slice meat off the bone), garnish with chopped herbs, and serve with the pan juices.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything, Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition

Recipe variations

Herb-Roasted Chicken
A little more elegant: Start the cooking without the olive oil. About halfway through, spoon a mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chervil, basil, or dill over the chicken. Garnish with more chopped herbs.

Lemon-Roasted Chicken
Brush the chicken with olive oil before roasting; cut a lemon in half and put it in the chicken’s cavity. Roast, more or less undisturbed, until done; squeeze the juice from the cooked lemon over the chicken and carve.

Roast Chicken with Paprika
Combine the olive oil with about 1 tablespoon sweet paprika or smoked pimentón.

Roast Chicken with Honey Mustard
Combine 2 tablespoons to 1/3 cup mustard with 2 tablespoons honey and rub the chicken with this mixture during the final stages of roasting.

Roast Chicken with Curry
In place of the olive oil, use neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn — or butter. Combine 1/2 cup coconut milk and 2 tablespoons curry powder and baste the chicken with this mixture during the final stages of roasting.

Roast Chicken with Soy Sauce
Chinese-style roast chicken, made easy: Replace the olive oil with good- quality vegetable oil. Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; 1 tablespoon grated or chopped fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger; and 1/4 cup chopped scallion. When the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked through, spoon or brush the glaze over the chicken and serve.

Roast Chicken with Cumin, Honey, and Orange Juice
Sweet and spiced: After about 20 minutes, spoon or brush over the chicken a mixture of 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.