[Turnandcough]

The best way to roast a chicken is the simplest way. You get a good quality grain fed bird, you sprinkle liberally with salt and let it sit in the fridge for 12-24 hrs. Then you roast it at 350 until it's done(juices run clear or legs come off easily).  No oil, no marinade, no beer can, and especially no pan filled with water underneath. Spice rub is OK.
Mayonnaise? I don't think so.

Personally I prefer to do legs only - 350 for 1 1/2 hours. If you're doing a bunch of them along with veggies you can make that 1 3/4 hrs. Just toss the veggies with some olive oil and don't pile them too close to the chicken. The steam they give off will prevent the skin from crisping up. A mix of carrots, parsnips, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes and onions(added later so they don't burn) makes for a nice winter meal.

[Rob Babcock]

It might sound goofy but mayo smeared on the chicken before roasting really is good.  I've done tons of it for buffets and banquets over the years.  For those applications I've always used cut up chickens, not whole birds.

[satfrat]

It might sound goofy but mayo smeared on the chicken before roasting really is good.  I've done tons of it for buffets and banquets over the years.  For those applications I've always used cut up chickens, not whole birds.

Exactly.   

[Rob Babcock]

One thing I forgot to mention is brining.  I'm a big fan of brining a bird overnight before roasting it.  Basically you just need salt and water, although osmotic pressure can be used to carry flavorings into the meat.  Marinating, well, I'm not universally a fan of that.

[craig223]

Try something really different...

Put 6-8 strips of raw bacon, garlic and salt in a blender.  Blend to a paste.  Pull the skin back from the meat and place the paste in the pocket.  The bacon will add flavor and keep the meat very moist. 

This works well with turkey also.

[soundbitten1]

I'll roast a chicken on a rack at 450 for about 20 minutes then turn it down to 325 until done, basting occasionally.

[davidrs]

The best way to roast a chicken is the simplest way. You get a good quality grain fed bird, you sprinkle liberally with salt and let it sit in the fridge for 12-24 hrs. Then you roast it at 350 until it's done(juices run clear or legs come off easily).  No oil, no marinade, no beer can, and especially no pan filled with water underneath. Spice rub is OK.
Mayonnaise? I don't think so.

Personally I prefer to do legs only - 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

Turnandcough,

Agree on the simple approach.

1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees seems very long for chicken, and legs (not a whole bird) at that.

Are you cooking at elevation? Is the chicken going in cold from the fridge?

- David.

[Mama Virtue]

As a dipping sauce maybe.    But for roasting, forget it. The roasting pan cleanup afterwards is a real bitch. 
 
Cheers,
Robin

As for cleaning the roasting pan...Fill the pan with hot water, liberally sprinkle with Baking Soda. Let sit over night. This can also be done with hot water and white vinegar. Both work. In the morning take a scrub brush and loosen the stuck-on crud. Pour out the water, whatever residue is left take more baking soda and make a paste with the water (a little scrubbing required). It works on teflon, glass, stainless steel and will make copper look copper again. I use a baking soda paste on all my baked on stuff, glass top stove, bathrooms, pretty much anything. It doesn't scratch, no toxic smell and it works really well!! Whether its baked on sugar, olive oil, cheese, etc it almost always comes off within 5 minutes.

And as for the chicken, I put it at 425 when its almost done for about 15 minutes if the skin needs more browning...otherwise it stays at 325-350. Salt, black pepper, olive oil, onion, lemon, garlic...comes out moist and delicious! Add cilantro (Coriander) and chili powder for a southwestern flair.

[rollo]

  Start with the Bird at room temp. A 3 1/2 to 4lb Bird will do. Old Bay seasoning in the cavity. Roast at 500 turn down to 350 for an hour and 15 or 30 minutes. ENJOY!!


charles

[Turnandcough]

Turnandcough,

Agree on the simple approach.

1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees seems very long for chicken, and legs (not a whole bird) at that.

Are you cooking at elevation? Is the chicken going in cold from the fridge?

- David.

No I'm not cooking at elevation.
Legs have higher fat content and as such are very forgiving and while 1 1/2 hrs may seem like a lot it's perfect for "fall off the bone" tender meat. Just don't put anything containing sugar on it or the skin will burn. The last time I did this I actually cooked it at 375 for 1 1/2. I increased the heat to compensate for the large quantities of chicken and vegetables that were being cooked. More food = more steam being released and more heat being absorbed by the food.
Remember - if you overcook a whole chicken the legs will still be OK but the breasts will be tough and dry.
Trust me - I worked in the food industry for 20 years, studied and now work at one of Canada's top cooking schools.  

[Turnandcough]

It might sound goofy but mayo smeared on the chicken before roasting really is good.  I've done tons of it for buffets and banquets over the years.  For those applications I've always used cut up chickens, not whole birds.

I shouldn't knock it until I try it but I just have a problem with cooking mayo. I don't even like to use it in crab cakes.
Next time I make some chicken I'll try it on a couple of wings - you never know.

[Rob Babcock]

Hopefully, in a couple weeks my next experiment will be doing the chicken sous vide!   As soon as the money from my tax refund shows up in my checking account I will be ordering my Sous Vide Supreme water oven.  The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive and the next closest off-the-rack solution (ie not a hacked crock pot) is the $800 Sous Vide Professional from Polyscience.  Yeah, that would be nice but the SVS has the rack, clamp-style vacuum sealer and two books, along with free shipping.  I won't be able to fit a whole turkey in it but it should be large enough for my purposes.

[Rob Babcock]

I dunno how it would be on wings.  You do have to cook it awhile before you get it to form a crust.  Once it does it's almost like a breading.  And while you're at it you can add parsley, pepper, lemon, etc to the mayo for a bit of extra flavor.  Still, it's the brining that really takes things up a notch.

[Mama Virtue]

Ok no offense, but the mayo thing just sounds disgusting!!! Jason said it sounded good...figures (means I'll have to try it). I have however done bacon wrapped before....MMMMM