Roasted Rocky Free Range Chicken Recipes

THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Mix butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.
• Loosen skin on chicken breast; rub butter mixture between skin and breast meat. Press on the skin to distribute evenly. Rub oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper all over; place lemon halves inside cavity. Set in a baking pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven, basting after 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let rest before carving, about 15 minutes.

WHOLE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven and a roasting tray to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
• Pick and finely chop the soft herbs, halve the lemon and tear the bay leaves.
• Rub inside the chicken cavity with sea salt, then carefully grab the skin at the tip of the chicken breasts, making sure that it doesn't rip, and pull up gently. With your other hand gently separate the skin from the meat of the breast - it's normally connected by a little bit of tissuey-type stuff, and you can either leave this attached in the middle and make two little tunnels either side or you can try to cut away the middle.
• Sprinkle a little salt down the gaps that you have made, push in most of the chopped herbs and drizzle in a little oil.
• Push the lemon halves into the cavity along with the bay and rosemary sprigs, then pull the skin of the chicken breast forward so that none of the flesh is exposed, tuck the little winglets under, and tie up as firmly as possible.
• Rub a little oil all over the chicken skin, scatter over the remaining chopped herbs and season very generously with salt and black pepper. Slash each thigh about 3 or 4 times to allow the heat to penetrate directly.
• Remove the hot tray from the oven and drizzle with a little oil. Put the chicken into the tray, breast-side down and leaning to one side, then place in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes, then lean it to the other side, still breast-side down. Cook for another 5 minutes, then place the chicken on its bottom and cook for 1 further hour, or until golden and cooked through - the skin should be really crispy and the herbs will flavour the meat- this really must be the best roast chicken. Trust me - it's not fiddly, it's pukka.

ROASTED FREE RANGE CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the chicken:
• Butcher, or bone, the chickens so you have 4 halves with only the wing bones remaining. Marinate the chicken overnight in the wine, oil, rosemary, and garlic.
• For the garnish:
• Dice the pancetta and render it almost fully, put aside. Roast the whole garlic cloves until they are soft (foil works well) and put aside. Gather rosemary and put aside.
• For the sauce:
• In a large saute pan, brown onions and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken stock and rosemary and reduce ingredients over heat by half. Remove rosemary stems, and puree sauce until smooth and put aside.
• In 2 large very hot oven proof saute pans place 2 chickens halves in each, with some olive oil. Place them skin side down, shake to ensure there's no sticking. Place on floor of a very hot oven, and roast until skin is crisp, and chicken is fully cooked.
• Place several spoonfuls of sauce on plate, then your favorite type of potato next the chicken. Add the pancetta, roasted garlic cloves, and fresh rosemary garnish.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff with the onion and rosemary. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish or roasting dish.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of the bird.

ROASTED ROCKY FREE-RANGE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Stuff the cavity of each chicken with 4 cloves of the garlic, half an onion, 2 lemons and 2 sprigs of tarragon. Season with salt and peppercorns.
• Lay the chickens, breast side down, on a rack over a small roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Baste continually with melted butter. After 30 minutes have elapsed, lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Continue basting until the meat is opaque at the bone, about 30 additional minutes.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Set the chickens aside for 10 minutes. Pour out the fat that has accumulated in the pan. Place the roasting pan on a burner over medium heat. Stir in the chicken broth and simmer until it reduces to 3/4 cup, about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain.
• Cut the two chickens in half and divide among 4 plates. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with roasted potatoes.