Are you hungry? Are you looking to cook something easy and tasty? practicallyperfect.org is your source for practically perfect recipes with step by step photos to make cooking food as easy and enjoyable as eating it.
Roast chicken is a great dish. A large 2kg chicken chicken will provide a good family lunch for six. The quality of the chicken is the main ingredient. Or to state it otherwise the end result depends for 60% on the ingredients and 40% on the technique.
The best chicken are free range fed only with vegeterian products including no less than 80% cereals. The one used is a " farm yellow chicken" from the Landes (South West France) which has been raised for at least 81 days.
 |
| Choose a good quality free range chicken and have it prepared by your butcher |
 |
| If you prepare the chicken yourself, take off the feet tendons before cutting off the feet |
 |
| Cut tendons |
 |
| The ingredients |
Stuff he cavity with 3/4 of the tarragon. Take the leaves from the remaining 1/4 and reserve for the sauce.
 |
| Squeeze half a lemon on the skin |
 |
| Oven at 225ºC. Place the chicken on a roasting dish slightly buttered |
 |
| Roast the chicken for 1h-1h15, turning it every 20 minutes or so. The skin will be lightly browned. If you prefer a little more colour, put it under a gaz grill for 2-3 minutes (not more for there is no added fat on the skin) |
Put the chicken to rest for 1/2 hour under an aluminum foil.
 |
| Deglaze the roasting pan with a little water, add the tarragon from the cavity and emulsion with 100g butter |
 |
| Cut the reserved tarragon leaves with cisors and add to the emulsion |
 |
| Optional: cook tomato skins for 3-3 1/2 hour in a 90º-95ºC oven. Spread olive oil and salt before cooking. Rearrange from time to time. The skins shoud be dried but not too dried. |
 |
| Presentation |
Note: cooking at the relatively low temperature of 225ºC and putting lemon juice on the chicken skin (no fat) should result in a crispy skin outside and a moist meat inside.
Note: after various trials it seems to me that the quality of the meat of a chicken has a close correlation to the length of its legs! A leg of 17cm+ is very favorable. Hopefully this quantity can be assessed before purchase. Note that my observation was made on a limited sample and that other inputs are a play including the species.
Note: it is always interested to find out how a chicken has been fed. I prefer, when available, to be given a precise number – for example "no less than 80% cereals" – rather than an apparently less strong indication such as "predominantly cereal based feed".
Share your own recipes that you enjoy cooking and eating.