Roast chicken made by Lucy Waverman.Jennifer Roberts/The Globe and Mail
Setting up a new kitchen and cooking for guests can be an intimidating task. So along with our list of essential basic tools, we'd like to pass on one essential recipe – how to roast a chicken. Don't be afraid: There are very few dishes that are as easy and useful to pull off as a roast chicken.
This one basic recipe will allow you to have friends for dinner, or cook for yourself with a couple of days of tasty leftovers. Plus, the smell of roast chicken turns a house into a home.
Chickens are often roasted on a rack but using a cast-iron pan and throwing in some carrots and onions makes it a one-pot meal. Buy the best chicken you can afford, as air-dried and naturally raised tastes much better.
Make two and you will have enough food for a week. Keep the bones to make stock, which is endlessly useful.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 3-4 lb (1.5 to 2 kg) whole chicken, preferably naturally raised
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried herbs, either tarragon, thyme or rosemary
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp finely grated garlic
3 carrots, about 3/4 lb
1 largish onion, Spanish or cooking
Method
Preheat oven to 400 F. Dry chicken with paper towels.
Combine 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt, herbs, pepper, lemon and garlic. Rub marinade over chicken pushing some under skin if possible.
Don’t bother peeling the carrots; just wash them. Peel the onion. Cut the onion in half then cut each half into 4 wedges. Cut the carrots in 2-inch pieces. Scatter onions and carrots on the base of a frying pan, cast-iron skillet or broiler pan. Toss vegetables with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.
Place chicken on top of carrot and onion. If you want potatoes, add them now as well.
Roast chicken until well-browned and juices run clear. A basic guide is 15 minutes per pound (500 grams) with 15 minutes tacked on the end, so one hour for a 3-lb chicken, one hour, 15 minutes for a 4-lb.
Let rest for 10 minutes. Place on a carving board or a plate. With a large knife remove the thigh and legs in one piece on both sides.
Remove wings and eat yourself – they’re the cook’s treat! Cut through breast to divide into two pieces. If it is big, divide in half again horizontally.
Serve to your friends with the onions and carrots.
To make a quick gravy (about 1 1/2 cups), remove onions and carrots from pan, and pour off all but 2 tbsp of the remaining fat.
Place on stove over medium heat and stir in 2 tbsp flour. Cook for a minute or two or until flour colours slightly. Add 2 cups chicken stock, preferably low-salt, bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes until desired consistency.
For a richer gravy, you can add in approximately 1 tbsp of tomato paste, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, mustard or your favourite herbs or spices.