Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken
Serves 4
Time: Pre-Prep: Take the chicken out of the fridge one hour beforehand. Prep the chicken (10 minutes) Roast the chicken (1 ¼ hours). Let the chicken rest (10-15 minutes).

13.5-14 lb chicken, preferably organic and hormone free
About 1 tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh thyme sprigs (or sage)
2 to 3 garlic cloves
½ lemon
2 tablespoons butter (softened to room temp.)

1. Heat the oven to 425° F. Lightly oil a roasting pan or an ovenproof skillet that is just large enough to accommodate the chicken snugly.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. (Don’t forget to check the cavity for chicken parts and fat and remove them). Remove the wishbone by slicing on both sides of the bone and pulling them out with your thumb and index finger. Set the chicken in the roasting pan with the breast side up. Rub the outside all over with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper liberally both inside and out. Squash the garlic cloves with the flat of a large knife just enough to crack the outer peel. Don’t bother to peel them. Drop the cloves into the cavity of the chicken with the thyme sprigs. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken. If you like, tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Press slices of butter over the top of the breast and thighs. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
3. Roast the chicken until the thermometer registers 165°. This should take about one hour and fifteen minutes. After 20 minutes of cooking baste the chicken with pan juices every 10 minutes for the rest of the cooking time. If you do not have a thermometer, pierce the thigh with the tip of a knife. If the juices run clear and the legs move easily up and down then the chicken is done. If the juices are still pink place the chicken back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. You can also tip the chicken and see if the juices that have collected in the cavity are either pink or clear.
4. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a warm platter. Leave it to rest in a warm place for at least 10 minutes. Carve the chicken into serving pieces and serve with pan sauce or resting on bread salad with chestnuts and grapes.

Experience:
Cooking a chicken seems to be a simple enough task, but this week we learned it’s an art that is hard to perfect. The long list of variables including cooking time, mixtures of spices and the way to carve a chicken made the kitchen full of busy cooks but we kept smiles throughout. Sally showcased her master skills in carving chicken, which is definitely a talent that us youngsters will have to develop over time. After hours of cooking we were able to enjoy our roast chicken along with freshly mashed potatoes as well as roasted asparagus straight from the oven. So far in our project, cooking with sally has definitely been an activity that we look forward to with great excitement. Who ever thought Mondays could be so delicious?!