Roasting Poultry: Recipes For Baked Whole Chicken

There are so many ways on how to cook a whole chicken or baked chicken, with the question or how long to cook a whole chicken, or if brining a chicken is worth the effort. Through this article we will take a look at what a brine is, how to break down a whole chicken, and recipes roasted chicken. There is some science involved to baking chicken that delivers both flavor and a moist texture, and also the proper method of preparing your poultry when you want to achieve a natural balance of such. Personally roasted chicken is my all time favorites when it comes to dinner, I love the complexity of the simplicity it requires to retain the delicate balance of the flavors and textures as well as the versatility poultry offers.

Roasting poultry can be an intimidating task for fear of over cooking your bird of choice, or under cooking for that matter and the time it takes to roasting poultry can be a little confusing as well. The general thumb of rule to roasting poultry is 20 minutes per pound at a temperature between 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you decide to stuff the cavity of the bird you will need to add another 10 minutes of roasted time and always allow your roasted poultry to rest at least 10 minutes preferably 20 minutes to let the juices settle and redistribute back into the bird versus all over your cutting board. There are great advantages of cooking whole chicken versus just a particular piece or a split fryer such as the cost, flavor, and utilization for leftovers. The overall cost of a whole chicken per pound versus a split fryer or a particular section of the chicken can save you as much as 1.50 per pound and the reason for this is really just about convenience for the consumer. Most people would rather not fuss with breaking down a whole chicken and opt for the split fryer but the process is quite simple with a sharp knife or a pair of poultry shears plus you can utilize the scraps to make a quick and easy chicken stock that you can freeze in many creative forms to accommodate the desired amount for your recipes.

There are infinite or close to that of ways to prepare whole chicken, but which method is the best to achieve a flavorful and moist result? Again there are many techniques and methods to this but I am going to explain how to brine your whole chicken before we begin the roasting.

What Is A Brine

Before I explain this procedure and how it works, chances are you have purchased a product that has been treated with a brining solution and may have not noticed. Pork, poultry, and some beef products are injected with a solution that consists of salt, sugar, and water and usually a type of chemical to enhance flavoring (msg), which in turn adds weight to the product and increases the price, you can usually see this disclaimer right below the label of product. Is there any risk or disadvantage to this injected solution? Personally I would like to choose what is in my meat and do not believe in paying extra for some flavor enhancer that I can do naturally at home if I choose to do so, in fact when purchasing a product that is injected with a solution your end product will have a higher shrinkage and you are basically paying for added water weight.

Back to the brining process, a basic brining solution is made up of salt, sugar, and water, though as simple the ingredients are you must use the proper ratios of each. This process is designed for lean meats that tend to dry out during the cooking process, brining provides a plump cushion of seasoning that lasts through the cooking process, and this can mean roasting, broiling, and even grilling. All proteins contain some amount of water although during the cooking process the protein's water will evaporate rather quickly. When you use the brining method the solution will start to penetrate the meat and cause the cell proteins to unravel, and with interact with the solution which forms a sticky matrix that will capture and hold in the moisture. As the protein is under the element of heat the matrix with gel up and form a type of barrier that protects the water from leaking out while the meat is cooking.

Basic Brine Recipe

1 gallon cold water
1/2 Cup Kosher* Salt
(I prefer using Kosher* salt because the granules are larger than iodized and it does not contain anti caking agents that can create a salty after taste.)
2/3 Cup light brown sugar
10 each whole black peppercorns (optional)

Combine all ingredients and whisk till sugar and salt is dissolved then place your whole chicken in the solution and let sit in the refrigerator at least two hours up to 24 hours, do not exceed the 24 hour period or you run the risk of over brining and the chicken will taste salty, and with all brined meats it is important to thoroughly rinse the meat in cold water before cooking.

Alternative Method to Brining

If the brining process does not appeal to you but you want a flavorful whole roasted chicken there is an alternative method. Rinse and thoroughly dy the whole chicken, and generously salt (Kosher) the entire bird and allow at least 2 hours for the salt to penetrate the flesh, you should not be able to see any of the granules, and I do advise to rinse the bird after the salting process.

How To Prepare Whole Chicken

Before I share some recipe ideas for baked chicken there is a quick method on how to prepare your whole chicken to enhance the flavors during the roasting of your bird. It is quite simple if you are not skiddish about sticking your fingers under the skin and between the flesh as well as inside the chicken, if you are just think of a happy place, your taste buds will thank you! So whether you are applying a dry rub or a type of marinade I suggest to separate the skin from the flesh of the whole chicken first. It is not difficult you just need to be gentle when doing so and after doing this a few times, you will get quicker. You basically start on one side of the chicken and gently pull the skin from the flesh and insert your fingers in between and start to work your fingers to the other end. Then when you apply your seasoning to the whole chicken you can place some of the flavor right on the flesh creating a deeper element of taste and texture, be sure to do this with the cavity as well, the idea is to evenly disperse the flavor throughout the poultry not just the skin, otherwise you will have an over seasoned crust and bland meat.

Recipes For Whole Chicken

Depending on your palette preference there is a bountiful amount of recipes for whole chicken as well as cuisines that offer a template for designated theme for roasting any kind of poultry. The recipes that follow can be prepared with whole chicken as well as individual pieces.

Rubs For Poultry

A rub has a similar affect as brining or the alternate for brining, it contains salt and sugar that is designed to penetrate the skin and flesh but offers an intense amount of flavor.

Cajun Rub:

1/4 C. Kosher salt
1/2 C. light brown sugar
1 Tbs. Cayenne powder
1Tbs. Onion powder
1Tbs. Garlic powder
1Tbs. Cumin powder
1Tbs. Corriander, ground
1Tbs Sage, ground
1Tbs. Smoked Paprika
2tps. ground black pepper

Whisk together all ingredients.

Garlic Thyme Chicken

20 cloves of garlic, minced
4oz. Fresh thyme, roughly chopped
3 ea Whole lemons, juiced (reserve rinds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Take the reserved lemon rinds and coat evenly with granulated sugar set aside for about 20 minutes.

Combine minced garlic, chopped thyme, lemon juice and olive oil with a salt and pepper, this should be a wet loose paste in texture, spread the paste mixture evenly throughout the bird, on skin, between flesh, and inside cavity. Stuff the cavity with the preserved sugared lemons.

Roasting Whole Chicken

While there are many methods to roasting poultry I am going to share how I roast my whole chicken that gives me a crispy crust and moist tender meat. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the whole chicken in the middle rack and bake for 25 minutes, then reduce your oven's temperature to 325 degrees F. and roast the chicken until a thermometer registers 155 degrees. again average time is 20 minutes per pounds. Once the internal temperature reached 155 degrees remove chicken from oven and loosely cover with tin foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Baking whole chicken at a higher temperature for the first part of its roasting helps seal in the flavor and moisture, while reducing the temperature down to 325 degrees will slowly allow the osmosis of the brine help gel up and create an ever stronger barrier between the skin and flesh. Allowing the roasted chicken to rest for 15 minutes or so helps the juices of the meat to settle back into the flesh, which enhances the overall flavor and texture of the whole chicken, you should not see a lot of juice seep out from the poultry when you allow it to rest.

So the next time you decide to roast a whole chicken I hope that the information provided has inspired the chef or foodie in you to take your roasted poultry to the next level, with the main focus of having fun creating your chicken masterpiece. Enjoy!