Reprinted with permission from Julie Van Rosendaal (www.dinnerwithjulie.com)
INGREDIENTS
1 chicken, a roaster or a fryer (about 4 lbs or 2 kg)
Rubbing a chicken with butter or oil ensures a golden crispy crust
Photo: Julie Van Rosendaal
canola or olive oil or soft butter
salt and pepper, to taste
half a lemon
a few cloves of garlic, peeled or unpeeled, or half a head of garlic, cut in half widthwise
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Let the chicken stand at room temperature for about half an hour so it isn’t cold when you put it in the oven. Washing it isn’t necessary, but rinse it with cold water if you like, inside and out, removing any giblets from inside its cavity. Dry it well with paper towels — this ensures a crispy crust.
Throw the lemon half and garlic inside the cavity of the chicken. Put the chicken in a cast iron pan and rub the chicken all over with butter or oil—
the fat helps produce a golden, crispy crust—and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375ºF. Roast the chicken for another 50-60 minutes, until it’s deep golden, the drumsticks wiggle in their sockets, and the juices run clear when pierced. If you have an oven thermometer, it should read 165°F when poked into the thickest part of the thigh. Serves 4.