If I were to ask my wife which dish I make or have made that she likes best I guarantee it would either be roasted chicken or a ribeye steak.  That response usually drives me nuts because they are so basic and given all the other things I cook around here, I would think there would be other things she prefers.  However, despite the very basic nature of a simple roasted chicken, I love it too.  It’s really hard to beat a really well executed roasted chicken.  I define well executed being a roasted chicken that is nicely browned with crispy skin while remaining juicy, succulent, and tender.  That, my friends, is not so simple to pull off.  So, despite the basic nature of such a simple cooking method, it really is not that easy to perfect.  That said, it is possible to create an approximation to the ideal of a well executed roasted chicken with practice and doing some basic things to help it along.

In culinary school, we were given a five step method for preparing and roasting a chicken.  Some of those steps are designed to help with cooking the chicken properly and some of those things are designed to improve the overall appearance of the chicken once it’s carved.  Personally, I don’t think all five steps are necessary for home cooking purposes.  I really don’t follow all the steps but I do follow a couple.  I also add in a couple of steps that I feel make a big difference.  More thoughts and basic recipe follow after the jump… Continue reading →