Kittencal's Best Blasted Rapid-Roast Whole Chicken

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

Blasting with high heat will shrink the skin and seal in all the juices to create an extremely moist and tender chicken with lovely crispy skin - and it will be on your table in about an hour. This method will also work with a larger chicken, but cooking time will need to be increased. You may adjust all seasonings to taste. If you are not a lemon lover, then you may omit the lemon juice. You really can use whatever seasoning that you like for this. I like to use seasoned salt. Make certain to use a fork and poke holes all over in the lemon, then place it into the cavity of the chicken. Roast roast as stated. The chicken with be moist and have a faint lemon flavor. For more of my tried-and-true recipes, visit my food blog at www.kittencalskitchen.com.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 whole chicken (about 3 to 3-1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons melted margarine or 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (can use more lemon juice if desired)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons seasoning salt (or use as much as desired)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 whole lemon (poked all over with holes using a fork, can use 2 small lemons, if you don't have any lemons an onio)

Directions:

1. Rinse the chicken inside and out well under cold water, then pat dry using a paper towel.
2. In a small bowl mix the lemon juice with oil and melted butter until blended, then rub all over the chicken.
3. Using clean hands rub the inside and outside of the chicken with seasoned salt, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne (you can season the chicken under the skin also if desired).
4. Place the lemon/s inside the cavity.
5. Place the chicken into a baking dish (you can place the chicken onto a small roasting rack if desired and you may want to add in a little water to the pan to prevent smoking).
6. Using cotton string tie the legs together tightly.
7. At this point you may cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours (not more than that or the acid in the lemon juice will start to "cook" the chicken).
8. Set oven to 450 degrees F.
9. Roast the chicken at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees and continue roasting for about 40 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches about 175 to 180 degrees F. about 1 hour or a little less).
10. Cover with foil and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing (do not slice before that time or the juices will flow out!).

Reviews

[GiddyUpGo]

I didn't get the crispy skin, but I attribute this to the fact that my chicken was about a pound larger than the one in the recipe, and I probably didn't cook it at 450 for long enough. Even still, this was one of the best roast chickens I've ever made. It was really juicy, and the skin was delicious (and I don't usually eat the skin). I will definitely do this again, thank you! Update: I recently cooked a 5.25 lb chicken this way. I cooked it at 475 degrees for the first 20 minutes, and at 400 for about an hour after that. It was perfect, with really crispy skin and super moist meat!

[HeidiSue]

10 stars, 10 stars!!! This was the most delicious chicken ever!! I had a larger chicken 4-5lbs and as you recommended Kitten, I roasted at 475 for the 20 minutes and then at 400 for a whole hour. I doubled the butter/oil/lemon mixture and added celery salt and herbs de provence to the seasonings. I rubbed the chicken both under and on top of the skin and let it marinate for just 45 minutes. It was so moist and perfectly cooked and the skin, wow... was just amazing. My husband and I both are so very happy with this recipe!! Thank you so much Kitten!!

[Neohippie]

This is my default roasted chicken recipe. I vary what seasonings I use on the outside of the chicken: Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, herbs de provence, etc. Also good to put root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc. underneath the chicken. They get roasted and caramelized as well with the butter and chicken fat dripping on them from above. Yummy!