"Magic" 1 hour Roast Chicken

[jlou]

A recipe dedicated to Ladybird who didn't realise that bought roast/BBQ chickens weren't allowed on plan...

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken. Do yourself and the chooks a favour and buy a FRESH FREE RANGE chicken - you will be amazed at the taste difference between that and a frozen standard bird....it actually tastes like chicken. Oh and there is way less fat under the skin.

a wire rack (essential) and roasting dish or pan to sit it in (collects the fat that drains off)

Tongs

Condiments (see below)

Pre heat fan forced oven to 220degrees (if non-fan forced look up a conversion or it will be undercooked)

take out the icky stuff (ie: giblets, neck) and dry inside and out of chicken with paper towel.

If you want stuffing, make it using crispbread - but you won't need it!

Baste the outside of the chicken...this is the fun bit:

olive oil for crispy skin
lemon juice for a nice tart taste
verjuice for gourmet - rub with garlic or thyme after for extra special

Season with cracked pepper.

instead of stuffing, shove a whole head of garlic/lemon slices/thyme inside the cavity for it to permeate from the inside out.

Cooking

This is fool proof (based on the 2 fan forced ovens I have used - one "proper oven" which I've done it in dozens of times, one cheapo Tiffany "turbo oven" that sits on your bench!

Place on wire rack on its side, wing up.
Cook for 20 minutes
Turn onto other side, wing up
Cook for 20 mins
Turn so breast is facing up
Cook for 20 mins

Test if cooked by either: poling thigh with skewer to see juices run clear OR wiggle the drumstick and if it comes clear of the thigh easily it is cooked. But I've nver had an undercooked (or dry) chook by this method.

Remove with tongs. Drain all the fat from inside into the pan.

Place onto carving tray/dish and cover with foil and leave for 10 mins

Carve and enjoy. Most of the fat has drained into the bottom because of your cooking method - and because it is a free range chook there is less fat anyway. So have a wee bit of crispy skin and enjoy it as a treat.

If you are feeling "norty" and want to use the pan juices to make gravy, remember you are using all the fat that you drained off your chook!

Serve with micraowaved or steamed cauliflower or asparagus for a pretty maintenance friendly option!