The Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken

Step 1

Bring the chicken to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before preheating the oven to 400ºF/200°C and pat it dry with paper towels.

Step 2

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and ginger, and combine them with the melted butter, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Mix.

Step 3

Transfer the chicken to a deep baking dish. Season the inside and out with the buttery mix - you can brush or rub it into the chicken. For crispier chicken and vegetables, use a pan with a rack, so the water is underneath the chicken and vegetables rather than surrounding them.

Step 4

Stuff the cavity (remove the giblets first, if there are any) with the combination of vegetables and rosemary, spreading any remaining veggies across the roasting pan around the chicken (breast side up).You can use a bit of kitchen twine to tie the drumsticks together and keep everything inside.

Step 5

Sprinkle the various spices (bay leaves, cardamom, peppercorns, star anise, crushed cinnamon stick) over the dish.

Step 6

Pour the water (or broth) into the dish. If you have any leftover butter, baste the chicken once more. Then cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven.

Step 7

Roast the chicken for 45 minutes. Then, remove the foil and pour out all the liquid (drippings) from the baking sheet. Optionally, add a little more butter or oil to the chicken's top to encourage crisp skin.These chicken drippings can be saved to make chicken gravy, homemade chicken stock, add to soup, etc.

Step 8

Cook for a further 20 minutes, uncovered, broiling the whole baked chicken for several minutes in the end for a more golden-brown crispy top.

Step 9

Finally, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil, to allow the juices to settle. Then carve and enjoy.

Step 10

I prefer to pull the legs away first, slicing through the meat/bone (joints) to help as I pull them loose. Next, do the same with the wings.Then, use the sharp knife to carve downwards to one side of the breastbone (just shy of the center of the chicken) and remove that to slice it into smaller pieces.Use your fingers to remove any remaining "tricky" bits until you’ve stripped the carcass (which you can use to prepare chicken broth).

Step 11

Store: I recommend carving all the chicken and then storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. However, you can also store the whole roasted chicken by wrapping it well (with foil or plastic wrap) on a large dish.Freeze: to freeze the chicken, make sure it's sliced (or shredded), and store it in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before re-using.For food safety reasons, make sure to transfer it to the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of cooking the chicken.Check the blog post for how to reheat the roasted chicken.