Would You Like Some ... Quick Roast Chicken?

Image courtesy of Foodies At Home.com via flickr. I don’t know about you, but there’s no better fall food to me than crispy roast chicken and gravy, slathered over rice or potatoes, with a steamed green on the side.  Very much a comfort food in this house, and with this recipe it’s done in an hour, and super flavorful and moist to boot!  I got the recipe from The New Basics Cookbook, which my SIL gave me when I got married.  For some reason I never used until after it had been worn to tatters as a booster seat.  It’s now well-loved, and I have yet to find a recipe in it that wasn’t bordering on fantastic.  Truly.

The secret of the moistness is the marinating, which is easily done in 5 minutes the night before.  It also cooks much faster when seared, and you skip the stuffing and don’t line the pan with veggies.  Without further ado …

Roast Chicken Chez Louis

Marinade :

• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 c. mild oil, ie corn or grapeseed (I often reverse the ratios here, preferring olive oil in general)
• 7 cloves garlic
• 4 sprigs thyme (or 1.5 t. dried)
• 4 sprigs rosemary (or 1.5 t. dried)
• freshly ground black pepper

Mix all together in a bowl just big enough for the chicken.  Add one washed/dried whole roasting chicken, and marinate 4 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. 

Preheat the oven to 450.

Sear the chicken in a heavy skillet or roaster, with a dab of butter and olive oil, 6 minutes a side.  The recipe calls for grilling at this step, but who am I kidding that hubby will get the grill going just for 6 minutes of searing, or that I’d even think to complicate it with that step?!  I’m sure it tastes wonderful that way, but so does a simple pan searing!

Then roast the bird for about 45 minutes, until the juices run clear with pricked with a fork.  I always stuff the herbs and garlic from the marinade inside, and the garlic comes out beautifully creamy and ready to spread on whatever you have handy. 

If you want gravy (which we always do) pour off most of the fat from the roasting pan, and add in a cup of chicken stock (or water with a bit of cornstarch/arrowroot powder) and whisk it together, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan.  That is if you haven’t already burned your fingers pulling them out of the bottom of the pan and nibbling on them yourself.  A couple T of butter whisked in adds something lovely too :).

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes, and a side of some greens and you’ve got a delish meal!  The bones make a great stock too if you find the time :).