The Best Way to Bake a Chicken

Do you like roast chicken? It's one of those dishes that for me invokes feelings of comfort. Both my mom and my grandma regularly made roast chicken, and it's one of those things that I love to make, particularly in the winter time. In addition to being good to eat, I also love that I can use every part of the chicken - the meat as the main protein source of a meal, the bones to make a flavorful broth for future dishes, and the fat for use in preparing future dishes, as well.

The best way to roast a chicken? A Romertopf clay baker.

Seriously.

Have you ever baked a chicken - or anything, really - in a clay baker? It results in a moist, succulent, delicious chicken that takes only minimal effort to make.

First step - get yourself a Romertopt Clay Roaster. It's a bit of an investment but SO very worth it. Once you get the roaster home and unpackaged, the first thing you need to do is soak the unglazed top piece. That's the key because the roaster works by utilizing steam.

Place the top portion (both portions if the bottom section is not glazed) and let it soak submerged in clean tap water for 45 minutes. It will need to be soaked before each use, but this 45 minute soak only has to be done the first time. After that, soaking for 15-20 minutes will be sufficient.

NOTE: DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN

Putting your cold clay baker into a hot oven will cause it to crack and break, so you do NOT want to preheat your oven.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS RECIPE

• Roasting Chicken

• Assorted vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and onions

• Your preferred seasonings like onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper

• Fresh herbs like sprigs of rosemary and thyme, depending on what you like.

While the roaster is soaking, prepare your veggies. You can really use any vegetables you like - my favorites for this type of dish are carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic, and you can add other root vegetables like parsnips or turnips, too. (Be sure to keep the peels and skins to use for making broth later.) I also like to add sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme. Cut the larger vegetables into 1-2" pieces to make cooking uniform, and once the soaking time is up, drain the water and then layer the vegetables and herbs in the bottom of the roaster. Sprinkle any seasonings that you like over the veggie layer. In my case I usually use garlic and onion powder, seasoned salt, and fresh cracked pepper.

Next, lay the whole chicken on top of the vegetables, season it liberally, too, and then place the lid on the roaster. Place the bottom rack of your COLD oven on the very bottom rung and then place the other oven rack on the rung right above it. Place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch anything that may drip, place the roaster on the other oven rack, close the oven door, and then set the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. You want your roaster to be low in the oven to make sure that heat can circulate well around it.

Bake for 90 minutes.

Once the 90 minutes are up, remove the roaster from the oven and place it on a towel to cool. DO NOT put it on a cold surface as abrupt changes in temperature can cause the clay to crack. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so before taking off the lid, but once you do, be prepared for the glorious deliciousness that is inside.

The chicken's temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be consumed safely.

Let me tell you.. this meal is the height of deliciousness and SO easy!

Oh, and once you're finished with the meat, be sure to save that chicken carcass with the veggie peels so that you can make chicken broth later. I'll cover THAT in a future post!