Basic Roast Chicken
Servings Prep Time
4people 10minutes
Cook Time
75minutes
Servings Prep Time
4people 10minutes
Cook Time
75minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Mix salt, pepper to taste, garlic powder, and oregano in a small bowl. Add olive oil and stir into a paste, then rub the paste all over the chicken’s skin. Season the cavity with additional salt and pepper. Let chicken sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes to an hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F. Place chicken on its side (yes, you read that right) on a roasting rack in a shallow sided roasting pan.
  3. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, flipping the bird onto its other side about halfway through the roasting time. When done, the chicken will be starting to fall off the bone (it should be at least 165 degrees F). Let sit on a cutting board on the counter, lightly covered with a kitchen towel (not foil), for about 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Recipe Notes
  • When flipping the bird, the best way is to use 2 sturdy spatulas or large mixing spoons and gently nudge the bird over onto its back and then just keep going until it falls onto its other side.  Then just kind of nudge it into the center of the rack again. Don’t use a fork or you could pierce the skin and lose juices. It helps to have another person hold the pan (using mitts!) while you do the flipping, although I’ve managed to do it by myself when there wasn’t another person around to help.  I even did it with a Thanksgiving turkey once, but I don’t recommend you try that, it was kind of scary.
  • When I make this recipe, unless we are having company we don’t do the formal bird carving step.  I just place the chicken on a large plate and put it on the table where we can pick pieces off of it.  It’s a little caveman-like but it’s fun.