Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken (In style of Cooks Illustrated)

• 1 whole Chicken
• Johnnys Seasoning Salt
• Lemon Slices
• Rosemary
• 1 med. Onion chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2Tbs flour
• 1tsp Apple cider vinegar
• 2 pats of butter, chilled

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place oven-safe 8/9 inch skillet in oven, empty. Pat dry the chicken, make sure you empty the cavity of any giblets or neck. Rinse and pat the inside dry as well. Open the space between the chicken breast and place two 1/4inch slices of lemon with rosemary sprinkled on them on each breast. Take a liberal sprinkling of Johnnys Seasoning Salt and rub around the lemon slices. Also sprinkle Johnnys seasoning salt on the outside of the bird, on the skin.

When the oven is preheated, and the pan is hot, place the prepared chicken in the pan, breast side up. According to the Cooks Illustrated magazine, placing the chicken in the hot pan accelerates cooking on the dark meat, since they typically need to cook longer than the breast. Cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the breast meat reaches 140 and the thighs 160. Then, turn off the oven. (Shocking, I know) The residual heat will continue to cook the chicken for the next 30 to 40 minutes until the chicken is perfectly cooked. Crisp skin, moist meat and SUPER yummy.

When the chicken is done cooking, take out of oven and set on heat safe surface. Using hot pads, lift the chicken out of the pan and tilt to drain the juice out of the cavity into the sauce pan. This is also a great way to check doneness. If the juices run clear (not red), you can be sure your chicken is done. Place the chicken on a cutting board and let it rest. Transfer the sauce pan to the stovetop, just remember it is HOT!

Scrape some of the fat from the pan until you have about 2Tbs left in the pan with accumulated juices. Add the onion and cook until translucent, then the garlic until fragrant, then the flour and cook until it turns brown as if you are making a roux. Add the chicken stock to the pan and stir to break up any clumps of the flour. Add salt and pepper to taste and the splash of apple cider vinegar. Stir until the gravy has thickened and at the very end for a richer sauce, stir in 1 or 2 of the pats of chilled butter, one at a time.

The chicken does not necessarily need the gravy, but the browned bits from the pan are too yummy to waste. I make brown rice and green beans as a side and top the rice with the gravy. I hope you ENJOY, we always do!