Whole Roasted Chicken - Basic Bird

Ok, here's one that's not AI..

What is the skill - learn to cook a whole chicken in the oven.

Why is it a Life Skill - It's cheap, it's easy (once you've done it a couple of time), and there are other skill ups waiting after this one. Oh, and it's impressive as hell to people who can't cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken

• 1/2 cup water

• salt, garlic salt, pepper, sage (ground or dust)

Directions

1. Unwrap and dry chicken inside and out. Sprinkle salt inside and out (about 1 tbsp if you need a measurement)

   • Do this as soon as possible (up to 1 day ahead). Leave it sitting unwrapped on a rack over a plate in the fridge to let it dry out.

   • (If you're feeling adventurous save the giblets - the little white packet that might be inside the bird. You can figure out what to do with them later.)

2. 1-2 hours before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, set it out to start to warm up. Liberally dust bottom and top with garlic salt, sage dust, and a bit of pepper.

3. 30 min before cooking, preheat the oven to 325F

4. Set chicken, breast side up on a rack over an oven safe pan (could be a skillet or a roasting pan).

   1. Breast side up means that the legs and wings are both pointing up.

5. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pan. (This stops the first drippings from burning)

6. Cook for 18 minutes per pound at 325, then crank up the oven and cook another 30 min.

   1. Check temperature - It should be above 150F. I prefer it a bit more done, and don't take it out until it gets to 165F.

7. Remove from oven, rest, uncovered, about 30 minutes.

Done! It's beautiful. Don't worry if you can't carve it worth a damn, just admire your lovely bird.

Next level - learn to carve it, learn to use the giblets, and learn to make stock with the carcass.