Roast Chicken
Master the art of cooking the perfect roast chicken and you'll never be short of dinner guests! Few people can resist a golden, tender roast chicken. It's the ultimate comfort food, and mastering the art of cooking the perfect roast chook is well worth doing, as it's one of those never-fail meals that you know will always be enjoyed and savoured. Chicken can be cooked accurately by using a meat thermometer inserted intothe thickest part of the thigh but not touching any bone.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 tsp rice bran oil
- 1-2 Tbsp your favourite herb or spice or seasoning mix
- Chicken stock
- White wine
Method
- Preheat oven.
- Place a wire rack into roasting pan.
- Trim excess fat from chicken.
- Rinse chicken (including cavity) under cold running water.
- Pat-dry with paper towels.
- Season cavity with salt and pepper.
- Gently squeeze the juice from half the lemon over chicken, rubbing juice into skin.
- Place both lemon halves into chicken cavity.
- Brush both sides of chicken with oil.
- Season chicken all over with salt and pepper and any other spices or spice mixes you like.
- Place, breast-side up, onto rack in roasting pan.
- Roast for the length of time required according to the Chicken and Poultry Cooking Times chart, or until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer.
- Half way through the cooking time, add some chicken stock and white wine to the base of the pan. This, combined with the pan juices can be used to make a saucepan gravy to serve with.
- Stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Serve with roast vegetables or salad, if desired.
