Hawaii's Share Your Table

Roast Chicken

Yields

Mains

• Place oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425°.
• Remove the chicken from its package; remove giblets and discard; remove the neck and save in a plastic bag for making chicken stock, if desired. Rinse the chicken under tap water and pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan or a shallow casserole. If you have a roasting rack, use it.
• Mix the salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle about half of the salt and pepper into the cavity of the chicken, coating the inside. Place the parsley and thyme in the cavity.
• Tuck the chicken wings under the body of the chicken. Tie the ends of the chicken legs together with kitchen string.
• Brush the chicken with about half of the melted butter. Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper all over the outside of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and roast.
• After 30 minutes, brush the chicken with the remaining butter. Continue to roast the chicken until it is nicely browned and cooked, about 1¼ hours. Check for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thigh joint; the temperature should be 180°.
• Remove the chicken from the oven. Insert a large spoon into the cavity and tilt the chicken, allowing the juices to empty into the roasting pan. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
• If you want to make a sauce, strain the liquid from the roasting pan into a small saucepan. Allow the liquid to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat off the top. Alternatively, strain liquid into a gravy strainer then pour liquid into a saucepan, leaving the fat behind.
• Add ½ cup white wine to the roasting pan and heat over medium high heat. Scrape brown bits from the roasting pan as the liquid boils. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the liquid into the saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Mix together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water and add to the pan juices to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve alongside chicken.

Roast Chicken Variations

• If you want to add a little more flavor and just something different, try one of these simple variations:

• Use 2 whole lemons and pierce them with holes all over. Place them in the cavity of the chicken before roasting.
• Place a whole chicken in a covered casserole that is just the size of the chicken. Surround it with 40 cloves of unpeeled garlic. Cover and roast at 350° until done, about 1½ hours. Serve roasted garlic cloves alongside chicken with good crusty bread.
• Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast and thigh area without piercing the skin. Mix together 3 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons minced herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme or any combination of these). Spread the herb mixture under the skin of the chicken. Roast until done.