Old Fashioned Roast Chicken Recipe
There are all kinds of crazy ways to roast a chicken. But sometimes you just want the best, simplest old fashioned roast chicken recipe in the world. Here it is.
Servings: 4
Calories: 389kcal
Ingredients
- 1 good-quality whole chicken 4 to 5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center.
- Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken and pat it dry all over.
- Place the chicken into a roasting pan. For a 4 to 5 pound chicken, I like to use the good old 9x13x2-inch metal roasting pan we've had for years. Nothing fancy.
- Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil, and sprinkle all over with the salt.
- Tuck the tips of the wings under the chicken.
- Roast for about 60 minutes, until the juices run clear when you stick the tip of a knife between one of the legs and thighs, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast reads 145°F (63°C) to 150°F (65°C). Start checking around the 45 minute mark, and don't worry if it goes a little bit over.
- Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes. Then carve and serve.
Video
Notes
- For a quick and super-easy upgrade, try using a fancy salt, like truffle or herb salt.
- For a traditional meal, there's nothing like a chicken that's just come out of the oven. Since it's hands-off and doesn't take long to make, I usually don't make it in advance for this type of meal.
- That said, pre-roasted and leftover chicken is great for all sorts of things served hot, room temperature, or chilled. See above for some ideas to get you started.
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 389kcal | Protein: 41g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 387mg