Roast Chicken

Jenny and I are both big fans of the roast whole chicken. It is comfort food that everyone in my house will eat. If I am lucky it will last far past the initial meal. There will be enough for sandwiches and burritos or a curry. And then the bones make the chicken stocks that are the base for all the soups we love. About every other week I roast a chicken (except in the heat of the summer when there is no way I am turning on the oven). For years I have been doing it the traditionally way roasting it in the oven like a turkey. It is super easy, but it just takes time in the oven – close to 2 hours sometimes. Not easy for working parents or t-ball night. UNTIL NOW!! I just fond a recipe where it only takes 25 minutes to roast a chicken. No lie!! 

Here is where my new (to me) cast iron skillet comes in handy. You actually need two of them. You basically preheat the oven and 2 cast iron skillets for a half and hour at 450 degrees. While you wait for the oven and skillets. Cut the whole chicken in half and season. When everything is thoroughly heated place the chicken skin side down into one skillet and place the other skillet on top – right side up so the skillets are nesting. Place in the oven for about 25 minutes. TA-DA roasted chicken!

The chicken I used was too big, so I roasted one half at a time. We ate the first half while the other half cooked for leftovers.  It still took much shorter than the traditional way. Here is where I found this idea. It suggests brining it for 24 hours. I did, but I don’t think it is necessary.