Easy roasted or baked chicken

How to make a roasted or baked chicken .

This is one of the simplest chicken recipes   , and also one of the tastiest and cheapest.

One of those dishes that we could say are part of the world gastronomic culture. Since in almost all societies there is a recipe for roast chicken. Whether with some sauces or others, with or without skin, with various herbs, spices, vegetables, citrus, liqueurs or not … this recipe for  baked chicken is one of the dishes par excellence in global gastronomy.

Basically it is about cooking the chicken in its own juices and fat, accompanied or seasoned with aromatic herbs and / or vegetables. The ideal way to cook them is on rotisseries.

You know, those in which the chicken is crossed by an iron that makes it turn, thus allowing its juices and fat to spread throughout the piece. But at home, the most common thing is that we use the oven to roast it, leaving the chicken on a tray and subjecting it to the heat source for a certain time.

Despite the simplicity of this recipe, there are multiple variants and this version is basic and very easy, but it guarantees juicy, very tasty meat with extra crispy skin.

On the blog you have some more recipe with baked chicken, although not complete as in this case, from the traditional chicken drumsticks , in this case to lemon or with one of my favorite parts, the famous baked wings with barbecue sauce .

If you have leftovers, you can make delicious chicken croquettes, the ones we have with the remains of this roasted chicken , a chicken hash soup or a filling for an incredible chicken lasagna .

The result with the whole chicken is exceptional, if it happens to you as it will be difficult for me to stop enjoying this recipe, I assure you that it is delicious.

Roast Chicken Preparation

1. The first thing we do is clean the chicken of any remaining fat and guts that it may have.
2. We will take special care to remove any feathers that may have remained.
3. We pass a water to clean it well and dry it with kitchen paper. It is important that it is dry so that in the baking process the chicken does not start cooking, what we want is for it to be well baked.
4. Crush the black pepper and salt in a mortar. With this mixture we spread the chicken well everywhere, both inside and outside.
5. We cut the lemon in half and squeeze a little of its juice on top and inside the chicken. We reserve the rest of the lemon.
6. In a glass mix the oil with the thyme. With the help of a kitchen brush we paint the chicken with the mixture inside and out. We reserve the remaining extra virgin olive oil.
7. We place the chicken on the baking sheet and put the lemon halves inside. We also add the garlic cloves peeled and crushed inside the chicken.
8. Peel the potatoes, cut them into slices and spread them on the tray.
9. We water both the chicken and the potatoes with the remaining thyme oil.

Baking and final presentation of roast chicken

1. With the oven previously heated to 190º C we bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The best thing is that you do it in the middle tray with up-down temperature and air.
2. Be careful because each oven is a world and yours may need to vary the temperature. It is best to cover the chicken with aluminum foil halfway through cooking, that is, when the chicken takes approximately 30 minutes. The last 15 minutes we remove it to toast the skin and make it super crispy.
3. Before serving the chicken we let it rest out of the oven covered again with the aluminum foil with which we have covered it in the oven.
4. We carve the chicken with a good knife. Very simple, in six pieces. First, the two hindquarters (thigh and counter thigh) until the union of this piece with the carcass. Then the two wings. And finally, the breasts.
5. For this operation, the sternum is sought and the knife is slid, shearing all the meat and detaching it from the ribs. First one and then the other. And with what is left, there will always be enough meat in the carcass for good chicken croquettes .
6. We serve it accompanied by the roasted potatoes and a little salad. I love it with raw tomato, extra virgin olive oil and a touch of salt and oregano.

Perfect for a Sunday meal, and remember that the oven is going to work, not you.

I can assure you that you will be left with a very mellow meat and with a super crispy crust. A tender and juicy baked chicken like the one my grandmother made in town. You will not regret it!

Here you can see all the step by step photos of the roast chicken recipe . Do not miss any detail and it will be perfect, come on, repeat over and over again.

Tips for a perfect roast chicken

A simple recipe right? Those of you who have already prepared it have told me that all the tips are very helpful for a great result.

And it is not just putting it in the oven and waiting as most do. To make a good roast chicken, with a crispy crust and juicy breasts, you only have to take into account a few tricks and you will have a really perfect roast.

• Do you like the taste in your recipes? , the dressing is important. Salt, thyme, the taste of garlic and black pepper is enough for the chicken to be cooked. It is important to also season the interior, because that dressing will go directly to the meat, especially the breast. A perfect solution is to spread it with a little extra virgin olive oil, mix it with water and spices that you like the most and spread it everywhere (inside and outside). And finally, rest a few hours before entering the oven.
• What chicken should we use? I recommend a free range chicken from my land, Ourense. At home we usually buy free-range chicken, just like home chicken,
• A lemon inside?  Grandma’s old trick does work. I also advise you to place an onion cut into 2 halves, it not only adds flavor and moisture, it will also be delicious later as an accompaniment.

Your tips for delicious roast chicken

• Maite González tells us by email that sometimes the chicken undergoes a prior blanching that guarantees the subsequent juiciness of the meat. Another of his tricks is the lardeado with bacon or bacon. Cover certain more delicate parts of the chicken with the bacon during part of the process. It is to protect them from being over roasted and dry.
• María José has a trick that always works for her, that of  injecting some sweet alcohol into her skin. Bring caramelization on the skin (in addition to flavor) injected with a syringe a little of your favorite liquor, it is worth the brandy, cognac, Port, PX … it will make your roast chicken a delicatessen worthy of the best chef.
• Dolores Pérez has a tip to get a crispy skin. For the skin of the chicken, the turkey or any other bird to make cras-cras when biting it is a major challenge. The highest point to stay with the in-laws at lunch. For this you have to have a lot of control of the oven to achieve it. Preheat the oven to high temperature, 200º C and bake the chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 190º C. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil halfway through cooking, that is, when the chicken takes about half an hour.
• Alejandro Correa has another similar advice to get crispy skin, he tells me: “The last 15 minutes we remove to toast the skin and make it super crisp. The final touch of oven at high temperature to achieve color and crisp texture on the skin is important. Looking from time to time so that it does not burn us, we want it crispy not crispy. Remember that the weight of the chicken is essential for the oven time, up to two hours, if it has a good weight. ”