Roasting Chicken

CHICKEN ROAST

Find out how to roast a whole chicken to juicy perfection !

Three Reasons to Roast Tonight

There are so many reasons to roast a chicken tonight! Here are three:

1. It's easy to prepare--the oven does most of the work.
2. It's inexpensive: pound for pound, whole chickens are much cheaper than packaged chicken parts.
3. And, of course, it's a delicious family favorite.

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Roasting Tools

All you need is a roasting pan (or a baking sheet in a pinch) and an instant-read thermometer.

Using a roasting rack set over the pan will help the chicken cook more evenly, since air can circulate freely. With a roasting rack, the chicken won't be resting in its own drippings, which will give you crispier skin. For easier cleanup, you can line the pan with aluminum foil.

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Divine Brine

One secret to really flavorful, juicy roast chicken is brining: soaking in salt water. If your chicken is kosher, you're in luck: it's already brined. To brine a non-kosher chicken,

• Dissolve ½ cup kosher salt (or ¼ cup table salt) in two quarts of water. Immerse the chicken completely in the solution and place in the refrigerator.
• You should let it soak for at least one hour, but no longer than five or six hours.
• Pour off the brine, rinse the chicken under cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. For extra-crispy skin, return the bird to the refrigerator and let it air-dry for another hour, or overnight, before roasting.

If you're not brining, still rinse the chicken under cool water and pat it dry with paper towels. Rinsing removes residue and some surface bacteria, and drying off the chicken helps the skin brown.

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Dress It Up

A chicken roasted with nothing but salt, pepper, and butter is very tasty indeed. But it's also easy to build on these basic flavors. Chop up fresh herbs and tuck them under the chicken's skin along with a few pats of butter, or stuff sprigs into the chicken cavity along with quartered onions and cloves of garlic. Wedges of aromatic fruit such as lemons or oranges will perfume the bird as it roasts, infusing the meat with extra flavor.

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Rub It Down

Many cooks use a dry rub: a blend of dried and ground spices, rubbing them under the chicken's skin and inside the cavity. Since they're under the skin, the flavorings won't burn; plus they'll infuse the meat. This is a great way to add some spice if you'll be discarding the skin.

• For a Southwestern flavor, try chile powder or pureed fresh chiles, cumin, and sage.
• For an Indian-inspired bird, mix together equal parts ground coriander and cumin, plus turmeric and a pinch or two of cardamom or garam masala.
• To give the chicken a Thai flair, try a paste of ginger, lemon grass, green chilies, cilantro and lime juice.

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Skin is In

Crispy, fragrant roast chicken skin is delicious. It is a bit fatty, though. But whether you eat it or remove it, always roast with the skin on, as it holds in moisture and keeps the meat from drying out.

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A Bird You Can Truss

If you like, truss the bird before roasting it--that is, tie it with butcher's twine to keep the legs close to the body. This is not an essential step, but it does make the chicken slightly easier to handle, and it helps hold the stuffing in if you've stuffed the chicken.

• To truss a chicken, cut about a 3-foot length of heatproof butcher's twine.
• Lay the chicken on a clean surface with the breast facing up.
• Hold one end of the string in each hand, and loop the center of the string underneath the chicken's tail.
• Catch the ends of the legs inside the string, then cross the string over the chicken's breast, making an X.
• Loop the string under and around the wings, then tie the string snugly in a knot across the middle of the breast. Make sure that the ends of the wings are tucked in.

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Roasting Methods

There are two methods for roasting a whole chicken:
Regular method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roast whole (thawed) chickens for 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

High heat method (this creates a crispy, darker skin):

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and cook whole (thawed) chicken for 10-15 minutes.
• Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and roast for 20 minutes per pound. (Do not add the extra 15 minutes to the cooking time as with the regular method.)

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Is it Ready Yet?

Regardless of the method used, a whole chicken is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (close to but not touching the thigh bone) reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

• The temperature of the meat will continue to rise slightly when you pull it out of the oven (this is called "carryover cooking"), so if the thermometer shows a few degrees below the target, give it a few minutes--the internal temperature might still rise to at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
  
• When you remove the chicken from the oven, cover it loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This redistributes the juices and results in moister chicken.

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Use this chart to determine how long to roast your chicken:

Roasting Times Chart

Weight (in lbs.)	Regular Method	High Heat Method
2.5 to 3	1 hour 15 minutes	1 hour
3 to 3.5	1 hour 25 minutes	1 hour 10 minutes
3.5 to 4	1 hour 35 minutes	1 hour 20 minutes
4 to 4.5	1 hour 45 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes
4.5 to 5	1 hour 55 minutes	1 hour 40 minutes
5 to 5.5	2 hours 5 minutes	1 hour 50 minutes
5.5 to 6	2 hours 15 minutes	2 hours
6 to 6.5	2 hours 25 minutes	2 hours 10 minutes
6.5 to 7	2 hours 35 minutes	2 hours 20 minutes
7 to 7.5	2 hours 45 minutes	2 hours 30 minutes

NOTE: These times are for unstuffed birds. Add 15 minutes to the total cooking time if you're roasting a stuffed chicken. And as with the chicken itself, make sure the stuffing reaches a temperature of at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Swiss Chicken Casserole

 

"A delicious combination of chicken with Swiss cheese, seasoning and creamy goodness in one easy baked dish! Who could ask for more?!"

BUBUPAUL6 PASSION

Prep Time:
10 Min

Cook Time:
50 Min

Ready In:
1 Hr

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Arrange chicken in a greased 12 x 8 x 2 baking dish. Top with Swiss cheese slices.
3. Combine soup and milk and stir well. Spoon mixture over chicken and sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle butter or margarine over crumbs.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 430 | Total Fat: 20.8g | Cholesterol: 120mg

Soya Granules Burger

Soya Burgers, Stuffed Curry

Soya Granules Burger.
Soya granules are cooked by adding them to the hot water. They are then added the tomato onion sauce having lots of spices and spice powders. The cooked soy granules mixture is then stuffed into pav bread. Soy granules burgers are then served immediately.
Makes: around 4 Soya Granules Burgers.
Ingredients:
Soya Granules 1 Cup
Onion 1 Medium
Tomato 2 Large
Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Green Chiles 2
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Cumin Powder 1/2 tsp
Red Chile Powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Bay Leaf 1
Cinnamon 2 inch Long Stick
Green Cardamom 1
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 1
Cilantro few Sprigs
Pav Bread 4 Pieces
Ghee 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 Tbsp
Method of preparation:
Bring to boil around a cup of water.
Remove from heat, add soya granules, stir for few seconds till soy granules soften.
Remove stems, wash and finely chop the green chiles.
Peel, remove ends and very finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomatoes.
Wash and finely chop the cilantro leaves.
Heat oil in a pan on medium high heat, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and clove.
When cumin seeds start to brown, add chopped onion.
Fry the onion till it turns light brown around the edges.
Then add ginger garlic paste and green chiles and fry for few more seconds.
Stir in chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes soften and become mushy.
Then add coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt.
Fry for couple of seconds, stir in reserved liquid and soy granules.
Cook till soy granules absorb all the flavors and let most of the moisture evaporate.
Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Slice the pav bread into two. Apply ghee to both sides of the bread.
Heat a flat pan on medium heat.
Place the sliced pav on hot pan and fry on both sides till light golden brown.
Stuff each bread with soy granules mixture and serve the burgers immediately.
Notes: Make sure to remove the whole spices from the stuffing before placing it on the burger.
Suggestions: Cook the tomatoes very well before adding the spices.
Variations: You can substitute the Indian pav bread with any kind of bread like french rolls, ciabatta, hamburger buns etc…
BUBUPAUL6 PASSION

Bottle Gourd in Red Lentils

Bottle Gourd, Masoor Dal

Bubupaul6-passion

Red lentils are used here which cook relatively fast when compared with other lentils. Bottle gourd is chopped up and cooked along with red lentils, green chiles and tamarind. When the dal and bottle gourd is cooked well, its finished by tempering with spices. Serve bottle gourd in red lentils with steamed rice or with roti.
Makes: around 4 Servings of Bottle Gourd in Red Lentils .
Ingredients:
Red Lentils / Masoor Dal 1 1/2 Cups
Bottle Gourd 1/2 of Small One
Green Chiles 2 – 4
Tamarind 1 Inch Piece
Turmeric Powder a big Pinch
Salt to taste
Talimpu:
Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Broken Dried Red Chiles 3 – 4
Asafoetida a Big Pinch
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 2 tsps
Method of preparation:
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Soak tamarind in few tbsps of hot water and remove any veins and seeds.
Peel, wash, remove ends and chop bottle gourd into small pieces (around 2 Cups).
Wash and finely chop the cilantro leaves.
Heat 3 cups of water in a sauce pot, add masoor dal.
Let masoor dal cook for 10 minutes, stir in chopped bottle gourd, green chiles, tamarind, turmeric powder and salt.
Boil till masoor dal turns yellow and bottle gourd becomes soft but not mushy.
Heat oil in a small pan on medium heat, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, remove from heat and add to the above pot with bottle gourd and lentils.
Boil for a minute and remove from heat.
Garnish with cilantro and serve bottle gourd in red lentils with steamed rice or with roti.
Notes: Make sure bottle gourd is cooked well before removing from heat.
Suggestions: You can also boil bottle gourd separately and add to the boiled red lentils.
BUBUPAUL6