One of my very first posts many moons ago on Dine & Dish was about how I don’t “do” snow. I’m not a fan. I think it’s pretty and all, but I’d rather sit in by the fire, snuggled up with a good book, looking out on it falling gently on the trees rather than being outside with the snow falling on me.
That attitude was the old me. After a phone conversation last night with my friend DeAnn as we were discussing our personal Happiness Projects, it kind of hit me that I have one chance at this life I’ve been given. As much as I hope I can be reincarnated someday as a Glee cast member, I have to be mindful that as far as I know, today is my one and only chance to live today. I have one chance to be the best mom I can be to my kids… to make the most of the memories and days we have together.
So today, outside of my normal snow hating character, I got bundled up with the kids and we headed outside into the most beautiful Kansas snowfall I have seen in a very long time. And not just once… twice I did this! For hours at a time! We had a fantastic time, I shoveled our driveway and sidewalk with the help of a good friend, and then we all came inside to warm up with hot chocolate. Picture perfect, memory making kind of day… and had I not stepped out of my old self and into my new self, I would have totally missed out on being present with my kids during such a fun time.
Part of my Happiness Project is to focus on being present, and with that comes me actively being a part of my family’s life. Not just sitting on the sidelines, but jumping in, getting off my butt, and being among their chaos.
This is also part of my Eat. Live. Be. initiative. You all were so fantastic last week with my nakedness and I hated to think of letting you down. Each time I almost flubbed on my Weight Watchers points, your positive comments came into my head and I got myself in control… most of the time. I had some slip ups but I also did a pretty darn good job of keeping on track. I exercised every day, which for me is unheard of. I drank a ton of water, which again… I’m the Diet Dr Pepper queen, so this is a huge improvement. Most importantly, I was present and mindful of what I was putting into my body and attempted to stay clear of mindless eating. Thank YOU for supporting me, watching me and helping me along this journey! (I’m down 2.8 pounds this week from 180.9 to 178.1!)
Finally, I made the most delicious roast chicken, adapted from a recipe in the January 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Served over a salad of mixed greens and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (still a fave of ours), this chicken made me feel like I was “cheating”, it was truly that delicious. An added bonus it that this one chicken was able to be stretched into multiple meals. Gotta love that! (Oh – and ignore the extra black roasted crispies and potatoes on the cookie sheet…. we kind of like our roasted potatoes well done around here!)
Hope you all had a great week! Can’t wait to read your updates.
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Crispy Oven Roast Chicken
Crisp-Skinned Chicken with Roasted Potatoes (Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Jan 2011)
Author Dine & Dish
Ingredients
- 6 redpotatoes quartered
- Coarse salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 whole chicken about 4 1/2 pounds
- 2 tablespoon butter softened
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until tender, 11 to 13 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pot, and shake over low heat to dry and fluff. Coat with oil, and season with salt.
Mix together 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cornstarch (this was new to me, and really made a huge difference in the flavor and crispness of the chicken!). Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine minced garlic and softened butter. Rub skin with butter, and season with salt mixture. Rub the inside of the cavity as well.
Place chicken, breast side up on sprayed baking sheet and tuck wings under. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter potatoes around chicken. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and flip potatoes. Return to oven, rotating sheet. Roast until chicken juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes more. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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FAQs
4) Time to roast
Weigh your chicken and calculate the cooking time according to the guide below. Sit the bird in a roasting tin slightly larger than the chicken, and don't cover it with foil or you won't achieve a crisp skin. Basting your chicken during cooking will help keep the meat moist.
What temperature for a roast chicken? ›
You can roast or bake anywhere between 325 and 450 degrees F. When roasting a whole chicken, a nice rule of them is to start at 400 to 425 degrees F and then turn the oven down to 350 after 15 minutes and cook until the internal temp of the chicken is 165 – 175 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
How long should a chicken rest before roasting? ›
If you can, leave at least one hour for the seasoned chicken to rest in the refrigerator, uncovered, before it's time to cook. Longer is even better, up to 24 hours. The result is noticeably crispier skin.
What not to do when roasting a chicken? ›
The 5 mistakes to avoid with roast chicken
- Skipping the de-pluming step. ...
- Not cutting off the ends of the wings (the thinnest part) ...
- Skipping prep before roasting. ...
- Roasting the chicken in too much seasoning. ...
- Cooking the meat for too long or too little.
If you want your chicken to be truly roasted with crisp, golden-brown skin, it needs to spend time in the oven uncovered. If you find that some parts of the skin are browning more rapidly than others, you can loosely tent the browner parts with foil to allow the rest of the skin to catch up.
Is it better to roast chicken at 350 or 400? ›
The Best Oven Temperature for Roast Chicken
- For tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and soft skin, roast whole chicken at 325°F (162°C) for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the weight.
- For firm, juicy meat and crisp, golden-brown skin, roast whole chicken 425°F (218°C) oven for 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on size.
Sometimes, the word baked is used when the recipe calls for a lower temperature. In contrast, using the term roasted chicken typically indicates that it will be cooked at a high temperature and in an open pan or on a rack.
How long should I cook a whole chicken at 350 degrees? ›
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Place chicken in a roasting pan; season generously inside and out with onion powder, salt, and pepper. ...
- Bake chicken uncovered in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Always let your bird come to room temperature, by leaving it outside of the fridge, covered, for an hour before cooking it. Why? Because your bird will cook unevenly otherwise. Many recipes suggest you rinse your bird before roasting it, but for most store-bought chickens this step isn't necessary.
Should I let chicken come to room temperature before cooking? ›
A 15-minute sit at room temperature will make the chicken cook more evenly, helping you avoid a brown outside with a raw, undercooked inside. Solution: When you're gathering all of the ingredients for dinner, go ahead and take the chicken (in the plate or dish where it's stored) out of the fridge.
"A lot of chefs will temper their meat," Wilschke says, explaining that it's just a matter of letting it come to room temperature over an extended period of time. While Robins recommends taking it out of the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before cooking, Wilschke advocates for longer, as long as a couple of hours.
How to cook chicken in the oven Martha Stewart? ›
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. ...
- Bake until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Chicken skin needs to be dry in order for it to crisp when cooked. Whether or not you rinse the chicken before prepping, you need to make sure the skin is as dry as possible. After removing the chicken from the package (and washing it, if that is your preferred method) pat each piece dry with paper towels.
How do chefs get chicken so tender? ›
Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook.
Should I cover my roast with tin foil? ›
When cooking a roast in the oven, keep it uncovered until roasted to the desired doneness. After removing from the oven, tent with foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, preventing them from draining out during carving—and preventing dry, disappointing meat.
Why do we wrap in aluminum foil when we roast chicken? ›
It's always a great idea to cover your dishes with aluminum foil while cooking at high temperatures in the oven. It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking.
Does foil keep chicken crispy? ›
If you wrap foil tightly around fried chicken (like you would if a roast needs to be kept warm), the poultry may stay warm but the crispy skin is going to get soggy.
How to keep chicken moist in the oven? ›
Juicy Chicken Breast in the Oven
You're going to love the simple seasonings of paprika, garlic, and parsley. Pro Tip: The key to a juicy chicken breast is to not over-cook it. To prevent your chicken breast from turning out dry, use an instant-read thermometer to check when the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
