A versatile meal, this delectable dish goes with just about anything you throw at it. Just as chicken is versatile, there are many variations as to how to cook a whole chicken. The results of course, despite how you cook a whole chicken are almost certainly finger-licking good.
An ambrosia of some sorts, chicken meat ticks all the boxes. Budget friendly, keto friendly and rather healthy when you compare it to red meat. If at all there is a wonder food, then certainly it should be chicken meat.
Coming to think of it, chicken meat almost always, makes a meal appetizingly delicious.
Read on to find out some of the best techniques on how to cook a whole chicken.
Ways to Cook Whole Chicken
Roasting the Whole Chicken
This quite simply the best method to cook a whole chicken. Always reliable, it is easy to roast whole chicken and you’ll be glad you came across this technique.
This guide will provide you with everything you need to know to cook a simple whole roasted chicken.
You will need a couple of spices, of your choice of course. Say garlic powder, ground pepper, kosher salt and some other spice you may like to have.
Procedure
- Start by heating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove any giblets that may be in the chicken cavity. Giblets for the purpose of clarity refer to the gizzard, heart, neck, liver that are usually placed in the chicken’s cavity. You may want to keep the giblets if you’ll need stock for the broth later on.
- Season the chicken insides by rubbing or sprinkling about half a teaspoonful of kosher salt. You can more spices if you wish to have more flavor for the chicken.
- Season the chicken on the outside with 1 tablespoonful of kosher salt as well as any other spice you may wish to season your chicken with, like freshly ground pepper.
- You can then place the whole chicken on an oven safe roasting pan. While you are at it, you may want to tie the chicken’s legs together preferable at the “ankles”.
- You can then put the pan with the chicken in the already hot oven.
- Let your chicken roast for 30 to 40 minutes then check the chicken’s internal temperature reading. Be sure to stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken’s thigh.
- Once your chicken has gotten an internal temperature reading of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes before you begin to carve it.
The cooking time for roast chicken should be about 1-hour max when using an oven.
If you want a tangy taste, try seasoning using garlic and lemon.
Baking the Whole Chicken
You can’t mention ways on how to cook a whole chicken and fail to mention baking.
It is easy to get mixed up between baking and roasting. There is however a significant difference between the two. Cooking time and the heat used to cook.
Roasting involves cooking in high heat over a short period of time.
Baking takes relatively more time than roasting as the meat cooks slowly, but it has less hassle.
Another significant difference is that, whereas you can roast chicken as a whole, when baking chicken you can only bake the chicken as individual piece. Meaning you’ll have to cut up the whole chicken before you bake
You just prepare the chicken with seasoning, then put it in the oven and wait for the meat to cook.
Procedure
- Start off by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut up the whole chicken into pieces. Like thighs, breasts etc.
- Season your chicken pieces. You can do this by dipping the chicken pieces in melted butter then sprinkling the chicken pieces with seasoning powder like garlic, salt and black pepper. Alternatively, you can also prepare a marinade which you can marinate your chicken for at least 30 minutes before you bake.
- Place the chicken pieces on an oven-safe skillet or roasting pan, then put the pan in the already heated oven.
- Bake the chicken pieces uncovered in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the minimum internal temperature of the chicken is 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let the chicken pieces’ cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
Frying the Whole Chicken
This easy to cook technique will ensure you get deliciously crispy and crunchy chicken that even the squeamish guests you may have won’t resist.
There are primarily two types of frying. Skillet frying and deep frying.
This method below will be on how to cook chicken by skillet frying.
Procedure
- Start of by mixing the seasoning flour and ensure they blend uniformly.
- Get the marinade together by mixing together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Stir the marinade until it blends uniformly.
- Soak the chicken pieces in the marinade for at least 30 minutes. For best results, let the chicken pieces marinate overnight preferably in a refrigerator. That is if you have the luxury of time.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and let them air-dry on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Add oil to the pan, ensuring the oil does not surpass half an inch depth.
- Heat the oil for 5 minutes or until its temperature is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on the chicken pieces or just dredge the chicken pieces through the seasoned flour.
- Using tongs, carefully insert pieces of chicken into the hot oil. For even cooking, only add 5 pieces of chicken at a time.
- Cook the pieces for about 10 minutes and flip them. When the breading on the chicken turns golden brown, you can then remove the cooked chicken pieces.
- Let the oil come up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding other pieces of chicken.
Conclusion
When frying, always use oils that have a high smoke point, like vegetable oil. Never use olive oil, as it will leave the chicken tasting smoky and bitter.
Ensure you only put the chicken pieces in the oil when it is at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, failure to which your chicken pieces can turn out soggy. That is it, ways on how to cook a whole chicken. Hope you enjoyed.
