Simple Roast Chicken

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place onion, garlic, tarragon and thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening.
3. Pull the wings so the tips overlap on top of the breast; tie in place, wrapping string around the wings and body.
4. Rub the chicken with oil, salt and pepper. Set in a roasting pan, breast-side down.
5. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Turn breast-side up and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone, registers 175 degrees F, 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours.
6. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the string before carving.

Tips

Roasting

• Very cold meat won’t roast evenly. Place it on the counter while preheating the oven.
• Durable cotton kitchen string is sold at kitchenware stores, most gourmet markets and large supermarkets. Do not use sewing thread or yarn, which may contain inedible dyes or unsavory chemicals.
• A heavy-duty, high-sided roasting pan is essential for conducting heat evenly. Never substitute a cookie sheet. A broiler pan will work in a pinch, but the roast will inevitably be somewhat chewier.
• Give it a rest: A roast’s internal temperature will rise about 10 degrees while resting. The natural juices will also reincorporate into the meat’s fibers and the skin or crust will dry out slightly for a more toothsome yet more succulent dinner.

Equipment: Kitchen string

Per serving: 180 calories; 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 5 g mono unsaturated fat); 64 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 0 g fiber; 300 mg sodium; 217 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (30% daily value).

Exchanges: 3 lean meat

Contributed by: EatingWell.com

There’s no reason to get overly fussy with complicated techniques for a flavorful, rich and simple roast chicken, the ultimate comfort food.