Thursday, April 1, 2010

Roast Chicken

Here is the best way to roast your chicken. I use this in recipes that call for cooked, cubed chicken. You can boil a boneless, skinless chicken breast but it comes out looking really white and kind of gross if you ask me. And flavor, well, what flavor? This process is so simple, I promise anyone can roast chicken. It is not as weird as cooking a whole chicken either. I made a beer can chicken awhile back and almost could not bring myself to touch the little sucker. This is much easier than that. So, you get a package of split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on. That right there is clue number one that this is going to be great chicken. The bone-in, skin-on adds to the flavor.
I don't pay more than $1.99 a pound. Sometimes I think it even goes for $.97 a pound which would be the time to stock up.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lay them out on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast for 35-40 minutes. That's it. Look how yummy it looks right out of the oven. That would be great in Poppyseed Chicken, Mexican Chicken, or Chicken Stew wouldn't it?!

Once it comes out of the oven let it hang out on the pan to cool while you go do something else. In other words, fuhgetaboutit. The juices redistribute and you won't burn the dickens out of your hands on accident.

Don't x me out here (wink wink). This next part isn't that bad, you don't even have to touch it if you don't want. Flip those suckers over and take a fork and good knife. This is how you debone it. Place your knife right up to the bone and cut.


See how easily it is separating from the bone? I used a knife so I would not have to touch it. That's how Southern Iron Chef's who don't touch gross looking stuff cook.

Here you have it: A beautiful piece of roast chicken. Just like the frozen stuff you used to boil, only a heck of a lot better tasting. Layering great ingredients and seasonings is the key to extra-ordinary flavor in cooking. Seasoning as you go is what I'm talking about. Season the meat, season the sauce, test as you go, use fresh when possible.

Cube into large dices and use in whatever dish you're serving that evening. If you are preparing this for dinner, you can either assemble the dish and refrigerate it until time for cooking. OR you can simply put your cooked chicken in the fridge until that night when you are ready to cook.

Roast Chicken:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place chicken breasts on a sheet pan. Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4-6 cups.

(this is Ina's recipe from Barefoot Contessa's Family Style cookbook)

3 comments:

Becke' said...

girl, i gotta say, the extra work really does make a difference!

Jennifer said...

For even better flavor (and moisture retention), you might try brining your chicken first. A solution of 2 quarts cold water, 1/2 cup salt, and 1/2 cup sugar is what I use for a whole chicken. Soak in brine (in fridge) for at least an hour, then rinse and pat dry before seasoning.

Kelli Stuart said...

I stock up on the bone-in chicken breast when it's $.99/lb at the grocery store here in Greenbrier, but I usually boil it, and it really is gross like you said. I'm definitely going to try this next time. It makes me wonder too if you could do this in the crockpot - for us 9 to 5 women.