How to make the chicken skin crispy and the meat juicy? Preparing this dish may seem complicated, but don’t worry. You just need to remember a few rules to surprise your family with a delicious dinner. You don’t need any outstanding culinary skills for this.
The basis, of course, is the selection of good quality meat. If you can, choose organic chicken or buy it at a good butcher shop. Fresh meat should not have a distinct smell. It is also worth paying attention to the color of the skin – it should be cream or pale pink, while the meat should be pink and the fat should be white. Grayish and yellowish shades mean that the chicken is spoiled or old. Interestingly, the snow-white skin of the chicken should also arouse our suspicions. PIt is recommended to choose a chicken that weighs approximately 1.7 to 2 kg.
It is also important to cut the rump, thoroughly clean the meat from feathers and wash the meat thoroughly. Some housewives also recommend soaking the chicken in water for an hour.
Now it’s time for the spices, it’s best to marinate the chicken and leave it in the fridge for at least a few hours, preferably overnight. The most important are herbs that will make the meat very aromatic, they will work well: rosemary, thyme, marjoram, dried parsley, as well as basil and oregano. A good amount will be useful garlic pressed through a press. Some cooks also add sweet and hot peppers. Of course, you can’t forget about salt and pepper. An interesting addition may also be grated lemon or orange peel. When rubbing the chicken, remember to do it from the inside and salt it well. Some recipes recommend putting some butter or lard inside the chicken. Some people also insert them under the skin around the breasts. The final stage will also be tying the chicken legs with string. These tricks are to ensure that the meat does not dry out and is cooked evenly.
The chicken can be baked directly on a baking tray, in an ovenproof dish, or on a rackthen place a container under the meat into which the fat will drip.
What temperature should you choose for roasting a whole chicken? Usually it is 180-190 degrees. You should turn the meat from time to time and baste it with rendered fat. Typically, the chicken will bake for between one and a half and two hours, depending on its size. You can find information that One kilogram of chicken should require an hour of baking.
A trick used by chefs to get perfectly crispy and golden skin on baked chicken is brushing it with olive oil or oil with sweet pepper. It is best to use a brush for this, as it will allow you to evenly cover the entire surface of the chicken. It is worth doing this about 10 minutes before the end of baking.
Ingredients:
- whole chicken approx. 1.7-2 kg,
- 1 teaspoon of thyme,
- 1 teaspoon of dried parsley,
- 1 teaspoon of rosemary,
- 3-4 cloves of garlic,
- 1-2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel,
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons of butter,
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil,
- ½ teaspoon of sweet pepper.
Preparation:
- Wash the chicken thoroughly and check if it is clean inside. Then dry it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, combine the pressed garlic, lemon zest, thyme, rosemary and parsley. Mix everything and rub the chicken, also inside.
- Place the meat in a bowl, cover with foil and leave in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, add butter inside. Tie the chicken legs with string.
- Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish. Bake it in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 10 minutes with convection.
- Turn off the convection oven, cover the dish with the second part and bake for an hour.
- After this time, remove the top of the vessel and baste the chicken with the rendered fat from time to time. This will take approximately 40-50 minutes. For the last 10 minutes of baking, increase the temperature to 190-200 degrees, brush the skin with a mixture of olive oil and sweet pepper, this will ensure a golden color.
What to serve whole baked chicken with? You can prepare oven-baked potatoes with rosemary or make a creamy purée. A light salad of fresh vegetables, your favorite salad, or home-made pickled cucumber or low-salt cucumber will be perfect here.
Sources: Terazgotuje.pl, sita.sk, dietamojapasja.com
