Tips for roasting a chicken?

Question

My friends are coming over for dinner and I would like to impress them with a roasted chicken dinner. Problem is the only time I have attempted this it didn't turn out so well. I dont' need an exact recipe I need to know the following things:
1-what spices should I rub on the chicken?

2-my mom puts potatoes and carrots in the pan with the chicken, last time I just threw them in, the carrots shriveled and the potatoes weren't so good. What should I do differently?

3-What temp and for how long should I roast the chicken. There's a lot of conflicting info on how to do this, I know when it is 180 degrees it is done.

4- When roasting the chicken should it be breast side up? Wouldnt' the breasts dry out? Last time I put the breast side down and it was very soggy.

The following recipe from allrecipes.com looks good, but I dont' have 5 hours to roast a chicken. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Roast-Sticky-Chicken-Rotisserie-Style/Detail.aspx

Answer 1

The Ultimate Roast Chicken
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 (5 1/2 pound) free-range chicken
1/2 bunch each fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, halved
1/2 head garlic
1 medium white onion, halved, plus 1 onion
6 strips smoked bacon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
Serving suggestion: roast potatoes, watercress and gravy.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Divide the herbs, keeping 1/2 of them whole. Finely chop the other half. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herbed butter under the skin, as well as all over the outside of the chicken. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, garlic, 1 onion, and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Put the remaining onion into the pan, which will help color and flavor the sauce. Lay the strips of bacon across the breast of the chicken and roast for 25 minutes.
Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving.
Meanwhile, remove the softened onion from the roasting pan. Tilt the pan so the drippings collect in 1 corner, skimming off as much fat as possible, and leaving the drippings. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and take a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavor from the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour into the drippings to make a roux-like paste. Pour in the chicken broth in stages; continue to stir to dissolve the flour evenly to prevent lumps. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, carve the chicken tableside and squeeze the oranges from the cavity over the meat.

You can throw seasoned potatoes and some carrots in, if you like, depending on the size, should cook in about 40 minutes or so. If you use the baby carrots, they shouldn't shrivel up.

Answer 2

Roast covered and breast side down but flip it the last 20 minutes or so.
Rub the chicken before you cook it with olive oil and use the spices YOU like. I put garlic salt and pepper on mine.
You can roast it with a lemon in the cavity, cut it in half (the lemon) and that adds a nice flavor.
Make sure you are putting a bit of water in the bottom of the roaster for moisture and it really helps if you have a roasting rack.
You can sure put any veggies you want in the pan but I would add them after the chicken is cooking since they don't take as long.
As far as time to roast, that depend on how big the bird is. I would say every time I've done this I have a 4-5 pound bird and it takes about 2 hours at 350, the last 20 minutes take the lid off and flip it so the breast is on top so it gets crispy and browns nicely.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Tips for roasting a chicken?
My friends are coming over for dinner and I would like to impress them with a roasted chicken dinner. Problem is the only time I have attempted this it didn't turn out so well. I dont' need an exact recipe I need to know the following things:
1-what spices should I rub on the chicken?...

Answer 4

Don't go for the five-hour chicken!!
I'm not a gourmet cook, but a basic roast chicken is easily done. And of course, add the veggies, less hassle for you and you don't have to cook them separately.
Depending on the size of bird, it should take about an hour and a half to two hours.
I use a roaster a few sizes larger than the chicken, so there's room for the veggies. I put a little rack on the bottom of the roaster, then put in about two cups of water. You can add absolutely any spices on the chicken - just salt and pepper is even good. I like to add garlic powder. The other night I just used seasoning salt and garlic powder. Do the bottom, sides and top. The breast will be up. Don't worry about it getting dry! So, put the seasoned chicken in the middle of roaster or pan (stuff it if you are using stuffing).
If you have really nice skinned potatoes, don't even peel them, just wash and take off the eyes and yucky spots. Otherwise, peel them. Don't cut up unless they are huge - remember they will be in the oven for a long time. Peel carrots, and don't cut up, just maybe in half. Spread the veggies around the chicken - add a sliced onion for flavour - you won't eat it, it'll be mushy. Sprinkle salt and pepper on veggies.
Put in oven - 400 degrees F.
After a half hour or 40 min, take out, baste the chicken, flip over the potatoes and carrots, baste them, salt them on top. Put roaster back in oven for at least another hour.
Voila! Remove chicken, put on platter to "rest". Take out potatoes and carrots and put in bowl. Strain the broth into a pan - either make gravy, or just use as a "juice" for the vegetables. Add a lovely salad, and bob's your uncle.

Answer 5

1. spices - salt, thyme, rosemary, sage, onion powder, paprika, garlic

2. use a roasting bag, this will cut cooking time, keep chicken moist without cooking it on the breast side and will stop your vegetables from shriveling.

3. a roasting bag has detailed instructions for cooking temps and times depending on the weight of the bird. Don't over cook!

4. see answer #2 The roasting bag is the way to go. I wouldn't roast a chicken any other way.

Roasting bags can be found at any groccery store in the plastic wrap and aluminum foil section.

Answer 6

I know your not necessarily looking for a recipe but I have a bunch of recipes... and this is easy and tastes great. I don't do anything else in there with it, I do my veggies and potatoes separate. If you dont have a stone to cook in I'd cover it, stones help keep the moisture in. (I've actually seen it when it was left in an extra 2 hours and came out perfect, just the skin was leather). All your questions are answered in this recipe.

Juiciest Roast Chicken

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 whole chicken (3 1/2-4 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil


1.Preheat oven to 450ºF. Lightly spray Deep Covered Baker with oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and thyme in Prep Bowl; mix well. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken cavity. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat using Kitchen Shears, if necessary. Tie ends of legs together with cotton string. Lift wing tips up toward neck, then tuck under back of chicken.
2.Brush outside of chicken with oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush; coat completely with seasoning mixture. Place chicken, breast side up, in baker. Roast, uncovered, 50-60 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 180ºF in thickest part of thigh and juices run clear. Remove from oven; let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Answer 7

Follow these quick and easy steps to prepare a chicken:

Remove the bird from its wrapper.

Remove the sac that contains the neck and giblets from the cavity.

Check the chicken for pinfeathers (prickly little feather around the bird's tail).

Pull them out with your fingers or with a pair of tweezers.

Season the chick and oil it up.

Seasoning with a light dusting of salt, pepper, and herbs brings out the bird's natural succulent taste. Brushing chicken with olive oil burnishes the skin to a golden color that you'd think is only possible in the photos of food magazines.

A meat thermometer tells you when the bird is fully cooked. Insert the thermometer into the chicken's thigh, not touching the bone. When it registers 180 degrees, the chicken is done. The following roasting times are approximate for an unstuffed bird:

3 to 5 pound chicken: roast for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours in 350-degree oven

6 to 8 pound chicken: roast for 1-1/2 to 2-1/4 hours in 350-degree oven

Allow 15 minutes resting time after you pull the chicken from the oven. Chicken, like most roasted meats, firms up and reabsorbs its juice during this time, making it succulent and easy to carve.

Answer 8

1) I rub with olive oil, then with a mix of salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayanne pepper. I also stuff the inner-cavity with as many whole cloves of garlic as I can !!

2) I do my veggies separately.

3) I roast at 275 for about 2 1/2 hours until the leg twists free.

4) I always roast breast UP... better browning on the skin (the oil rub helps), and I've NEVER had a chicken dry out.

Good luck !!