Roast Chicken (the Oven Way)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 2: Remove chicken from its plastic bag, if it is in one.

Step 3: Remove the bag of giblets from the cavity of the bird.

Step 4: Remove any large deposits of fat from the cavity.

Step 5: Trim any loose skin with a sharp knife.

Step 6: Remove the tail, if you want, or leave it on. It's an aesthetic decision.

Step 7: Place a roasting rack in a baking pan with sides at least 1 inch high.

Step 8: Place bird on the rack with its breast-side up.

Step 9: Grind fresh pepper onto the bird, and sprinkle with a little salt. Salt and pepper the cavity as well. Rub all over with olive oil and stuff with fresh herbs and a quartered lemon, if desired.

Step 10: Place the baking pan on an oven rack in the lower-middle part of the oven.

Step 11: Roast the chicken for 45 to 60 minutes or until the juices run clear when a sharp knife is inserted into the joint between the body and the thigh or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees at the same joint.

Step 12: Remove the roast chicken from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Roast Chicken (the 21^st Century slow-cooker way):

Step 1: Get out your slow-cooker and read its directions thoroughly.

Step 2 through 6: Same as above.

Step 7: Place the bird in the slow-cooker.

Step 8: Cover with about a cup of water, a little salt and pepper, and (if you’re not on a low-salt diet) a chicken bouillon cube in the water does help the taste.

Step 9: Turn slow-cooker on. Cook for 4-6 hours on low, 8-10 hours on high.

Step 10: Remove bird from the slow cooker, let rest 10 minutes before carving. Set aside the juices for cooking your noodles in. (YUM.)

Why we included this recipe:

This was yet another food mentioned several times in the episodes.