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classic roast chicken

(2 ratings)
breezermom avatar
Recipe by
Lynette !
@breezermom
Gulf Breeze, FL

This recipe produces a wonderfully moist chicken with crispy skin. The secret is the high temp in the last 15 minutes. Because of the high temp, cast iron cookware is recommended.....not required, but recommended. You may get smoke with other types of cookware, so be prepared. Adjust your cooking time if you have a bigger bird....make sure you reach a temp of 165°.

(2 ratings)
yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Roast

Ingredients For classic roast chicken

  • 1
    4 pound whole roasting chicken
  • 2 tsp
    unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tsp
    paprika
  • 1 tsp
    ground coriander
  • 2 tsp
    extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp
    salt
  • 1/4 tsp
    black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 3
    shallots, peeled and halved
  • 3
    fresh thyme leaves
  • 1
    lemon, quartered

How To Make classic roast chicken

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350°.
  • 2
    Discard giblets and neck from chicken. (Save for another use if desired) Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
  • 3
    Combine butter and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Rub mixture under the loosened skin, over flesh; rub over top of the skin.
  • 4
    Tie ends of the legs together with cooking string. Lift the wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack; place rack in roasting pan. Place shallots, thyme sprigs, and lemon in cavity of chicken.
  • 5
    Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
  • 6
    Increase oven temperature to 450° (do not remove chicken); bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of leg registers 165°.
  • 7
    Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin if you are watching your fat intake, eat it if you just can't resist the crispy skin! Carve chicken.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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