Your FAVORITE roast chicken recipe

[davedemi]

So I have a spatchcocked, 3 1/2 lb. chicken that has been rubbed with a spiced herb butter (under the skin, too). I want to roast it with potatoes and a ton of unpeeled garlic cloves. Questions galore...

I probably shouldn't use a rack because of the potatoes, right?

Should I cover it for awhile while it roasts? I adore crispy skin, so I'm thinking probably not. But will the potatoes and garlic be done at the same time? I've cut the Yukon's into decent sized chunks and the garlic cloves are pretty big.

Also, I was thinking of roasting it at about 375 for, cheeze, about an hour? Less? I have a pizza stone on the bottom of my oven if that makes a difference.

Please excuse the incredibly simplistic questions. I just bought a range with a working oven (always a good thing for a new appliance) after not having one for over four years.    Thanks all.

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what kind of pan are you using?

[petite tête de chou]

A not very good one, that's for sure. A non-stick, 18" x 12.5".

[davedemi]

A not very good one, that's for sure. A non-stick, 18" x 12.5".

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Pre-heat to 425. If you can do a light searing skin side side down on the stovetop, great; if not, preheat the pan in the oven, then put spatch'd bird skin side down until it starts to lightly brown add spuds and garlic (both tossed with some oil/butter and seasoning. I don't even turn the bird over. 45 min sounds good but check.

PS using a heavy gauge pan (cast iron is great) will allow you to start this on the stovetop on higher heat, start the rendering of fat that results in crispy skin, and retain the temperature of the pan. the oven temp could then be a little more gentle (375-400) but with a lighter pan ( I'm assuming because you mentioned non-stick) I'd keep the oven temp. higher so the skin doesn't just steam but crisps

[petite tête de chou]

Thank you so much davedemi.

Okee doke. So I've put the chicken into a 400 ish oven with the potatoes, a bit of roughly chopped celery and onion and about, oh, I'd guess twenty unpeeled garlic cloves. Uncovered. No steaming action here, I hope.

Incidentally, the chicken was rubbed with Tillamook unsalted butter and (deep breath), chili powder, roasted cayenne, cumin, dried oregano, fresh thyme, a bit of garlic, black pepper, sea salt and lemon juice. It sat in the 'fridge on a rack for about 5 hours and was brought to room temp. before roasting.

I'll serve it with glazed carrots and a green salad.

Husband will have a few glasses of either iced green tea or Black Swan's Cabernet Sauvignon and I'll have Hogue's Gewurztraminer. Here's to hoping my first roasted chicken in over four years is at least edible!

[jscarbor]

Fav roast chicken? Thats easy. Chicken with mashed up tamlaes with butter and stuffed under the skin. Then near the end of roasting the bird cut up some tamales and roast in the chicken fat. The cut up tamales kind of get a nice caremalied crunch to them. And the stuffing fkavors the chicken and keeps it moist.

[petite tête de chou]

Well, all in all the chicken turned out pretty good.

For the sauce I strained and de-fatted the pan juices and mashed some of the roasted garlic into it and added fresh thyme and chives from the garden. I could've been perfectly happy with a pan of the sauce and some bread!