Whole Chicken

[mr mac i]

Ashamed to say I'm about to cook my first whole chicken tomorrow, normally have it at my folks of a Sunday; any tips/ how does this sound?

Intending to heat oven to max, and half poach/ half roast, turning down to low when I put chicken in and cooking for 4-5 hours. It's a technique I've used before to keep pork nice and moist.
Thinking of rubbing some Mexican fajita spice into the chicken and putting it into a mix of BBQ sauce and chicken stock with diced onion, garlic S & P and a dash of hot sauce and maybe a spot of honey too.
Thinking this should reduce to a tasty gravy too?

[Jer_1974]

Don't cook it for 4-5 hours at max you will ruin it. 20mins per ib plus 20 mins at 190 C. Crumble a chicken oxo into some oil and paint on skin before cooking. Fajita spice mix would work well also depending on what you want to serve it with.

[mr mac i]

should have made clearer, not 4-5 at max; get it to max and turn down as soon as the chicken is put in for long low cook.

[Mobile Chicane]

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's approach:

Soften a good lump of butter and mash into this a crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper, plus some fresh thyme and parsley if you have these.

Smear the seasoned butter all over the outside of the chicken and inside the body cavity.

Crank the oven up to 210C and give the chicken 20 minutes.

Chuck in 1/2 a wine glass of white wine into the tray and turn the oven down to 180C.

Roast for another 40 minutes for a 1.5Kg - 2Kg bird. Check the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh joint.

Rest in the tin in a warm place for 20 minutes, breast side down.

Carve in the tin and serve with the roasting juices.

[condor]

For a medium sized chicken I put it in the oven for 1 hour 20 mins at 180deg C with tin foil cover - remove tin foil for last 20 mins. I prefer to put apple quarters up it and use them to make the gravy, alternatively onion or lemon are good choices

[N Dentressangle]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/17...

[Mobile Chicane]

mr mac i said:

Thinking of rubbing some Mexican fajita spice into the chicken and putting it into a mix of BBQ sauce and chicken stock with diced onion, garlic S & P and a dash of hot sauce and maybe a spot of honey too.
Thinking this should reduce to a tasty gravy too?

I'd leave out the stock.

You'd be amazed how much water comes out of a boggo supermarket chicken, and you can always add more liquid if it's looking a bit dry.

[mr mac i]

Thanks gents, think I'll follow your advice tomorrow Mobile Chicane; I can add liquid if I need to.
N Dressentangle, that sounds really nice but just shown recipe to the OH; bad move as she is a nightmare with 'new' flavours. Won't eat anything other than Korma when having a curry ...... Will just make it one day and just pop it down in front of her because I'm sure she'll love it.

[N Dentressangle]

mr mac i said:

N Dressentangle, that sounds really nice but just shown recipe to the OH; bad move as she is a nightmare with 'new' flavours. Won't eat anything other than Korma when having a curry ...... Will just make it one day and just pop it down in front of her because I'm sure she'll love it.

Good call - it's a fantastic taste, but probably some new flavours if you're not already used to SE Asian food. Very heavy on the garlic and ginger too, which is rather challenging for some!

[bigandclever]

Mobile Chicane said:

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's approach:

Soften a good lump of butter and mash into this a crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper, plus some fresh thyme and parsley if you have these.

Smear the seasoned butter all over the outside of the chicken and inside the body cavity.
...

I like Jamie Oliver's take on it, pushing the butter in between the skin and the flesh, instead of on the outside.

[mph1977]

bigandclever said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's approach:

Soften a good lump of butter and mash into this a crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper, plus some fresh thyme and parsley if you have these.

Smear the seasoned butter all over the outside of the chicken and inside the body cavity.
...

I like Jamie Oliver's take on it, pushing the butter in between the skin and the flesh, instead of on the outside.

oh yes as butter on the outside just runs off and butter betwixt skin and the breastsalso gives nice crispy skin as well as helping the breasts to stay moist

[RosscoPCole]

Beer butt chicken is the way to go.

I use Jamie Oliver's recipe. Everyone I cook it for loves it.

[SVX]

I'm a recent re-convert to the humble roasting bag. Not recommended for a stuffed bird, but a whole lemon in the main cavity and a decent marinade/rub on the outside - using the flash, slow, remove from the roasting bag for a final crisping up method.

[mr mac i]

Thanks folks, managed to keep the bird juicy and properly cooked, MIL came for dinner and enjoyed it along with my biggest critic: my 3 year old.

Need to look up how to carve properly in future though! I intended taking photos but a hungry 3 year old can be a but demanding.

[jmorgan]

I used to try to get super thin slices off the bird but now prefer chunks. Try the chunky cut. Best thing I did with chicken was a temp guage, get it cooked bang on with mucking around checking for red juices.

[D1ngd0ng]

mr mac i said:

Thanks folks, managed to keep the bird juicy and properly cooked, MIL came for dinner and enjoyed it along with my biggest critic: my 3 year old.

Need to look up how to carve properly in future though! I intended taking photos but a hungry 3 year old can be a but demanding.

Remove the wishbone prior to cooking and you can then take each breast off in one piece with ease (thank you Thomas Keller for that handy tip) Don't forget to french trim those legs too (I also remove the wingtips as they're useless on the bird and much better in the stockpot but all optional)