Roasted Chicken

Last night I tried a different method for roasting chicken. I found it at http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/6682-weeknight-roast-chicken?incode=MCSCZ00L0# I've always either made a rotisserie chicken, which really browns the skin well, or I've baked it, which left the skin soft white, and quite gross and simply disposed of it when eating. I've tried a few other methods over the years, smoking on the grill, brining, etc. But this is a slightly different method. You cover the chicken in oil and salt and pepper, and place it breast up in a preheated skillet in a very hot oven. You cook it that way for about 35 minutes depending on the size, and then you turn the oven off and let it cook internally for another 35 minutes, and then take it out and let it stand for 20 minutes or so.

This process reminds me a lot of poaching, where you cook in water by bringing the temp high and then slowly cook things through at a lower temperature. I really like poaching. I do it all the time to chicken breasts and eggs.

This method worked surprisingly well. The chicken came out perfect, just barely done. There was a touch of blood under the cartilage of the thigh and leg bone, but the meat was done. I probably wouldn't have noticed the blood if I hadn't removed the cartilage to give to my dog. Chicken does not go wasted in this house. Joey always gets some every day to supplement her food because of her food allergies, and I love chicken. Today I'll make chicken salad for my weekday lunches at work, and I'll take the carcass to make chicken stock. We'll finish the other thigh and leg tonight with rice and veggies.

I think this is a good method that I'll try again. I'd be much more confident of it if I had a good digital read out meat thermometer...I'll have to get myself one of those. I also think it would be better made when the weather is warmer and I can keep the kitchen windows open. I don't have an exhaust fan in the kitchen, and when I put that chicken on the preheated, very hot skillet, there was a lot stuff put into the air. It sort of exasperated my asthma. Not as bad as attempting to smoke chicken on the grill, but it wasn't very good for me.