Roast Chicken Perfection In An Electric Pan

Roasting a chicken in an electric roasting pan is a simple and effective way to cook a whole chicken. The process is straightforward and can be done by anyone, resulting in tender and juicy meat that is gently seasoned and scented with herbs. The key steps to follow are: ensuring the chicken is dry before cooking, being generous with seasoning, trussing the chicken, roasting with patience, and letting the chicken rest before carving.

Choosing the right roasting pan

Size and Shape

The size of the roasting pan should be based on the internal measurements of your oven and the size of the bird you plan to roast. A small (14-inch) roasting pan is suitable for chickens up to 12 pounds, while a medium (16-inch) pan is ideal for birds up to 16 pounds. If you're roasting a large turkey, opt for an 18-inch pan. Rectangular pans are more versatile than oval ones as they provide a larger cooking area and are better for dishes like lasagna.

Material

The best materials for roasting pans are stainless steel or copper. Stainless steel is durable, has excellent heat retention, and is easy to clean. Copper also has excellent heat retention and is lightweight. Avoid aluminum roasting pans as they can react with acidic ingredients, and stay away from dark-colored pans as they can affect cooking temperatures and make it difficult to gauge browning.

Handles

Look for a roasting pan with wide, long, and tall handles that are easy to grip with oven mitts. Foldable handles can be difficult to grab, but permanent handles may reduce the cooking area.

Rack

A V-shaped rack is ideal for small birds like chicken as it cradles them securely. Flat racks, on the other hand, provide more surface area for larger roasts. A rack is essential for keeping the roast above its juices, ensuring crispy skin and promoting even roasting.

Ease of Cleaning

Most roasting pans are dishwasher-safe, but they may not fit in your dishwasher due to their size. Hand washing may be necessary, so look for a pan with a non-stick surface for easier cleaning. Carbon steel roasting pans require special care and should be hand-washed to prevent rusting.

Budget

Roasting pans can range from $30 to over $200, depending on the material, brand, and features. If you're an occasional roaster, a budget-friendly option may suffice. However, if you plan to use your roasting pan frequently, investing in a higher-quality pan with better searing and roasting performance is recommended.

Preparing the chicken

Remove Giblets and Pat Dry:

Start by taking your chicken out of its packaging and removing any giblets from the cavity. You can either discard these or save them for making stock or gravy. After removing the giblets, use paper towels to pat the chicken completely dry, both inside and out. Blot inside the body cavity as well, ensuring the chicken is as dry as possible. This step is crucial as it helps the chicken's skin crisp up during roasting.

Seasoning:

Now, it's time to season your chicken. You can use a variety of seasonings like salt, pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or a custom spice blend. Be generous with the salt, as it not only enhances flavour but also helps keep the chicken juicy. You can also rub the chicken with olive oil or softened butter before seasoning to ensure even crispier skin. Don't forget to season the inside of the cavity as well.

Truss the Chicken (Optional):

Trussing is a technique where you tie the chicken's legs together using kitchen twine. This step is optional but can help the chicken cook more evenly and prevent the leg and thigh meat from drying out. Simply bring the drumsticks together and tie them closely with twine. If you don't have kitchen twine, you can still roast the chicken, but it may cook a bit faster, so keep an eye on it.

Stuff the Cavity (Optional):

If desired, you can enhance the flavour of your roast chicken by stuffing the cavity with aromatics like halved lemons, whole garlic cloves, fresh herbs, or celery. This step is entirely optional but can add subtle flavour to your chicken.

Place in the Roasting Pan:

Finally, place your prepared chicken, breast-side up, in your electric roasting pan. If you're using a roasting rack or a bed of coarsely chopped vegetables, place the chicken on top of that. Ensure your pan is oven-safe and large enough to accommodate the chicken comfortably.

Your chicken is now ready for roasting! Remember, these steps are just one way to prepare your chicken, and you can always adapt them to your personal preferences or try different techniques to find what works best for you.

Seasoning the chicken

Firstly, remove the chicken from its packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. Ensure that you absorb any liquid present behind the wings or legs, and blot the inside of the cavity as well. Getting the chicken as dry as possible is crucial, as this will help the skin crisp up during roasting.

Next, season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, both inside and out. For a four-pound chicken, a recommended measurement is 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. You can also add other spices and herbs to the seasoning mix, such as dried basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary. Don't be afraid to add a bit more salt, as this will help crisp up the skin.

If desired, you can also add flavour to the chicken by stuffing the cavity with halved lemons, whole cloves of garlic, or herbs like thyme. You can also brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter or olive oil, which will help the skin brown and crisp up during roasting.

Finally, tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine. This step is called trussing, and it helps the chicken cook more evenly by preventing the legs from drying out while the breast cooks.

Once you've completed these steps, your chicken is ready to be placed in the electric roasting pan and cooked according to your preferred recipe!

Roasting the chicken

Preparation

Firstly, remove the chicken from the fridge and take out the giblets from its cavity. You can either discard these giblets or use them to make broth. You can also put them in the roasting pan with the chicken to add extra flavour to the liquid in the pan, which you can use to make gravy.

Next, place the chicken in a roasting pan and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 300°F or 450°F.

Then, truss the chicken's legs by tying them together with kitchen twine. This helps the legs and thighs cook evenly and prevents the breast from drying out. If you don't have kitchen twine, you can still roast the chicken but check on it 10 to 15 minutes earlier as it will likely cook faster.

After trussing, tuck the wings underneath the chicken to prevent them from overcooking. The wings are smaller and more delicate, so placing them under the rest of the chicken protects them from the heat.

Cooking

Before placing the chicken in the oven, season it generously with salt and pepper, making sure to cover the whole bird. You can also add other seasonings like Italian seasoning, onion powder, or dried basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Don't be afraid to add a bit more salt as this will help crisp up the skin.

You can also add butter or olive oil to the chicken before roasting. This helps crisp up the skin and gives the seasonings something to adhere to. Make sure to rub the oil or butter underneath the chicken as well so that all sides are fully coated.

Now, place the chicken in the oven and roast it for at least an hour. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken, but it should be around 70 to 90 minutes for a 4 to 5-pound chicken. Check the chicken with an instant-read thermometer – it's done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.

If the skin starts to burn, cover the chicken with aluminium foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Resting and Serving

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 15 to 30 minutes before carving and serving. This allows the chicken to cool down and ensures it stays juicy.

You can serve the chicken with roasted or mashed vegetables, in a salad, in a protein bowl, or as part of a breakfast hash.

Carving the chicken

Firstly, get your tools ready. You will need a sharp carving knife or a chef's knife, and a carving fork. You can also use a set of tongs instead of a carving fork. Place the chicken on a cutting board or a sturdy, hard surface area for carving. Make sure the breast is facing up and the small or large cavity is facing towards your body. It doesn't matter which cavity is facing towards you.

Secondly, get a platter and some aluminium foil ready to cover the carved pieces to keep them warm while you are carving the rest of the chicken.

Now, you are ready to start carving the chicken. It is best to carve the chicken in the following order:

Thigh and Leg: Start by gently pulling a thigh away from the body and then cut it off by slicing through the joint. You can pull down on the thigh until the joint pops before you cut; this makes it even easier to cut through. Once the legs are off, cut through the joints that connect the drumsticks to the thighs. Set the thighs aside on a platter and cover them with foil.

Wing: Remove the wings from the body by pulling them away from the breast and cutting through the joints. Cut off the wing tips as there isn't much meat to eat, then separate the wing from the drumette by cutting through the joint. Repeat with the second wing.

Breast: Start carving the breast by finding the breastbone in the centre of the breast. Cut straight down, in small slicing motions, at an angle along the breastbone to remove an entire half of the breast. Repeat with the other side of the breast. After removing both breasts, you can slice them so that each slice has a piece of skin, or leave them whole.

Finally, turn the chicken over and find the "oysters", the small, succulent knobs of meat next to the backbone behind where the thighs used to be. Use the tip of your knife to pry them out. You can also slice off the tail if you like.

Once you are done with the carving, you can decide how to cut, dice, or shred the meat. Serve with your favourite sides and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions