8 Ideas to Liven Up a Roast Chicken
You can riff on these forever
Though chicken holds its place in many homes as a quintessential pick for Sunday supper, it’s also a fast dinner, cooked in just about an hour.
This method works because the high heat provided by the heated skillet cooks the thighs faster than the breasts, which are exposed only to the heat of the oven. It gives you nice browning without drying out the breast meat, and it’s easily varied.
If at any point during the cooking the pan juices begin to smoke, just add a little water or wine (white or red, your choice) to the pan. This will reduce browning, however, so don’t do it unless you must. I suggest serving the pan juices with the chicken (you can call it “sauce naturel” if you like).
Simplest Roast Chicken, 8 Ways
Makes: 4 servings
Time: About an hour, depending on the weight of the bird
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A few sprigs fresh tarragon, rosemary, or thyme (optional)
- 5 or 6 cloves garlic, peeled (optional)
