Favorite way to prep a whole chicken

I posted this yesterday in another thread about using herbs, seasonings and butter.


Soften a stick of butter, finely mince fresh garlic, green onions, parsley and add that to the butter. Then add Slap Ya Mama, black pepper, dried oregano and dried sweet basil and mix it real good.

Separate the skin from the meat of the bird and spread the herb/butter mixture between the skin and meat on the breast and leg quarters. Then spread some inside the cavity and over the outside of the bird.

I will usually put it on the grill using my 2 outside burners with the bird in the middle for indirect heat cooking. That way it cooks easily and doesn't need much looking after until done. The skin crisps up and the butter/herb mixture gives the chicken meat a great flavor.

Thomas Keller

where do you currently live ... Boston, So. LA, ?? A boneless stuffed chicken is hard to beat. $12 - $17 depending on the stuffing and will easily feed 2 people. If you're not in LA, 2 options: order one or watch YT videos and debone it yourself. I took a cooking class and learned how to debone a chicken. I'll do it several times per year and it takes around 10-15 minutes taking my time so I don't cut my fingers off

If I am putting forth effort:

dry the skin over night, dry brine, spatchcock, season, on the egg direct heat at 350 raised until 160, hit with the searzall if the skin is not crisped enough, let rest for 10 minutes

Juicy flavorful meat and crispy skin.

Dry Brine
Spatchcock
Baste with butter and garlic
Grill till the breast is 165

Or fry it whole like you would a turkey.

Holy shite that was amazing...


Safe to say he's done a couple of those before.

Do you have a broiler pan? I use one to make a version of the Thomas Keller chicken that also produces roasted potatoes and drippings for gravy. It gets frequent requests at our house.



Ingredients

One 5 lb or so typical chicken (Can do 2 chickens at once if they fit on top of your broiler pan)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 potatoes
one large onion
olive oil

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken. Dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity. Truss bird with cooking twine. Trussing makes the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. The chicken will cook evenly and look better.

Salt outside of chicken liberally with a Tbsp or so of kosher salt. Season to taste with black pepper.

Line the bottom of a broiler pan with foil.

Slice (into about 1/4 inch rounds) 2 or 3 potatoes (skin on) and an onion. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread combination on the foil in bottom of broiler pan.

Place slotted top on broiler pan. Spray with cooking spray. Place chicken on top.

Roast all until chicken is done, about 1:15 to 160+ in breast and 180 in thigh. Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Potatoes and Gravy

When you remove the chicken to rest, pour off the excess drippings in the bottom of the broiler pan into a heavy skillet. Remove the potatoes and keep warm. I usually put them in a bowl and park it in the microwave.

Heat the drippings over medium heat and make a gravy with a little flour, salt and pepper, and more liquid (such as beer or stock).

Samin Nosrat's method is easy and great.

LINK

Allow bacon grease to solidify then smear all over whole chicken, inside and out. Sprinkle liberal amounts of cavender’s seasoning on outside of chicken. Cut a yellow onion in half and place inside bird. Place chicken breast up in a foil lined baking pan and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 430 degrees. Best chicken ever.