June 8, 2011
It’s been almost two years since Chef Roberto Cortez did a cooking class in my kitchen and taught us to make this amazing preparation. It is a super easy recipe that is absolutely delicious (and really, really forgiving). I make it at least once a week (Monday nights tend to be our roast-a-chicken night) because the whole family loves it. I usually buy a small Empire Kosher roasting chicken from Trader Joes, and it’s enough to feed our family of four with left overs for lunches throughout the week. Though Roberto taught us to remove the wishbone and tuck the legs in for easier carving, I usually make it even easier by carving the backbone out with a sharp knife and leave the rest “au natural.”
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees
1 3-4lb. organic roasting chicken
1 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. fresh ground pepper, roughly cracked
2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
Remove the wishbone (optional) and backbone of the chicken and make an incision in each of the chicken’s thighs. Next, tuck the legs into the incision. Dry thoroughly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, breast side down and then immediately place in the oven. After 12 minutes, flip the chicken over and continue to roast for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155 F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Tip: If you don’t want to remove the wishbone and backbone yourself have your butcher do it for you and make sure you save the bones for your chicken stock!
