Roast Chicken

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 lb / 1.8 kg), dressed and cleaned
• 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, rubbed until creamy
• 2 tsp (6 g) all-purpose flour (for butter mixture)
• 1 Salt, to season surface
• 1 All-purpose flour, for dredging pan bottom (approximately 2 tbsp / 16 g)
• 0.25 cup (57 g / 60 ml) butter, melted, for basting liquid
• 2 cup (160 ml) boiling water, for basting liquid
• 1 cup (240 ml) additional boiling water, added as needed to prevent flour scorching
• 1 Stuffing of choice (period recipe assumes a standard bread stuffing; see notes)

Instructions

1. 1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Dress, clean, stuff, and truss the chicken.
2. 2. Place the chicken on its back on a rack set inside a roasting pan (approximately 13 x 9 inches / 33 x 23 cm). Rub the entire surface with salt.
3. 3. In a small bowl, work 3 tbsp (45 g) butter until creamy, then blend in 2 tsp (6 g) flour. Spread this mixture evenly over the breast and legs. Dredge the bottom of the roasting pan with a light, even coating of flour.
4. 4. Place the pan in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven. Roast until the flour on the pan bottom is well browned, approximately 15 minutes. Watch closely to avoid scorching.
5. 5. Once the pan-bottom flour is well browned, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Begin basting immediately: combine 1/4 cup (57 g / 60 ml) melted butter with 2/3 cup (160 ml) boiling water and use this mixture for basting. Baste the chicken every 10 minutes.
6. 6. When the butter-water basting liquid is exhausted, use the accumulated fat from the pan for continued basting. If the flour in the pan begins to threaten scorching at any point, add 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water to the pan.
7. 7. Throughout roasting, turn the chicken frequently so it browns evenly on all sides. Total roasting time for a 4 lb (1.8 kg) chicken is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.
8. 8. If a thick crust is desired, dredge the bird with additional flour two or three times during roasting. If a glazed surface is preferred, spread the bird with butter, omit the flour coating entirely, and do not dredge during baking.
9. 9. Test for doneness: the chicken is sufficiently cooked when the breast meat is tender when pressed firmly with a finger (it should yield without feeling raw and firm), the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced at its thickest point, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C). Allow the bird to rest 10 minutes before carving.