Roasted chicken is a really great food to know how to cook. First and foremost, it's delish. Secondly, it makes the best leftovers ever. Plus, even though it looks super impressive, it's actually super easy to cook!
Here's how to roast the perfect chicken:
- Buy a whole chicken. Many are in the range of 4 to 6 pounds, which works great. If you can find a 3-pound bird, that will cook more quickly and you will have an even better shot at totally juicy and delicious meat.
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Rinse the chicken inside and out with water in your kitchen sink. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan and coat, inside and out, with softened butter or olive oil. Go ahead, get your hands dirty!
- Sprinkle the chicken generously, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
- If you like, you can toss a few extras into the chicken cavity. Herbs like rosemary and parsley are yummy. A lemon that has been cut in half is also great. For the lemon, poke a few holes in the peel with a fork and give it a little squish before putting it in the chicken. Fresh garlic cloves are another great option — just peel off the skins, smash the cloves a bit with the flat side of a knife, and then toss 'em in the bird!
- Roast the chicken in the oven for 1 to 1 and a 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. When it's done, the juices should run clear when you poke it with a knife, the leg should feel loose in the joint, and the temperature of the leg meat at the thickest part should be 160 to 165° F.
- Let chicken rest for 20 minutes before digging in!
Once you've got the basics of roasting a chicken down, you can start playing around with techniques and flavors. You can even make your own fancy gravy, like this Onion Garlic Gravy from Cookin' Canuck.
One of the best parts of roasted chicken is the leftovers. You can use them in pretty much any kind of recipe you can imagine. Here are a few especially yummy ideas!
1. Pot Pies
Don't worry, making chicken pot pie doesn't automatically turn you into a grandma! In fact, anyone who eats your pot pie will instantly fall in love with you and your food. Science.
This super easy and totally delicious recipe is my favorite pot pie recipe ever. Seriously, it is awesome sauce.
Make the Easiest Ever Chicken Pot Pie Yourself from This Week for Dinner
Another option: if matzah ball soup and chicken pot pie got together and had a baby, well, it would be one cute (and by cute I mean delicious) baby.
Make Matzah Ball Pot Pie Yourself from What Jew Wanna Eat
2. Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is probably the easiest way to use up leftover roasted chicken and is just as yummy on bread as a sandwich or served over lettuce if you want to cut the carbs.
Spice up your chicken salad with some tasty pesto!
Make Pesto Chicken Salad Yourself from This Week for Dinner.
Another option: if you feel like going a little "crazy" or "nuts" with your chicken salad, throw in some craisins and walnuts!
Make Creamy Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Yourself from An Edible Mosaic.
3. Soups
Soup is a great way to stretch your chicken leftovers, and you won't have to cook for days once you have a nice, big batch of soup in the fridge!
You don't need an Italian grandmother to enjoy this chicken gnocchi — just make it yourself!
Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup Yourself from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts.
Another option: this creamy twist on classic chicken soup is absolutely ideal for winter.
Make Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup Yourself from Very Culinary.
4. Enchiladas
Leftover roasted chicken is perfect for enchiladas. Olé!
These bad boys don't have any cheese or sauce. I know, I know; you're wondering how enchiladas can be good without cheese and sauce. I promise you won't even miss it!
Make Lightened Up Enchiladas Yourself from Cravings of a Lunatic.
Another option: on the other hand, sometimes you just need a rich, indulgent enchilada to really sink your teeth (and maybe your sorrows!) into. These creamy chicken enchiladas are irresistible.
Make Creamy Chicken Enchiladas Yourself from This Week for Dinner.
5. Sandwiches and Paninis
*~**ObViOuSLy*~* chicken is great on sandwiches of all kinds, from simple grilled cheese to fancy paninis!
Look out. This ain't your momma's grilled cheese.
Make Jalapeno Chicken Grilled Cheese with White BBQ Sauce Yourself from Lemons for Lulu.
Another option: you may need to brush your teeth right after eating this garlicy panini, but it will be so worth it.
Make Garlic Chicken Panini Yourself from Panini Happy.
6. Green Salads
You can pretty much throw leftover roasted chicken onto any green salad and call it a win. But to get your creative juices flowing, this Oriental Chicken Salad is a great place to start!
Make Oriental Chicken Salad Yourself from This Week for Dinner.
7. Stuff It!
You can stuff all kinds of food with chicken. Start with two all-time favorites — empanadas and crescent rolls.
If you like things hot, these Buffalo chicken empanadas are for you!
Make Buffalo Chicken Empanadas Yourself from Julie's Eats and Treats.
Annother option: these cordon bleu rolls are so tasty you won't be able to stop stuffing them into your face.
Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Crescent Rolls Yourself from Mom on Timeout.
8. Taquitos and Tacos
Forget the late night visits to the Taco Bell; with tortillas and leftover roasted chicken on hand, you can get the tacos you need right at home (and they'll taste WAY better).
These baked taquitos are healthier and just as delicious as the fast-food version!
Make Baked Chicken Taquitos Yourself from Dinners, Dishes & Desserts.
If you haven't tried combining Tex-Mex and Asian flavors yet, you need to. Use this taco recipe and change your life.
Make Texas Thai Tacos Yourself from Flavor Mosaic.
9. Pasta Dishes
Pasta + Chicken = True Love. #math
If you need a little extra comfort, chicken tetrazzini is always there for you.
Make Chicken Tetrazzini Yourself from Yummy Healthy Easy.
If you want something a little lighter but still packed with flavor, chicken pesto pasta has you covered.
Make Chicken Pesto Pasta Yourself from Two Peas and Their Pod.
10. Gettin' Saucy
Chicken likes to get a little saucy sometimes, too! Curry in a hurry is perfect for when you need a hot and spicy quickie!
Make Chicken Curry in a Hurry Yourself from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
More delicious recipes:
Impressive Breakfasts for the Morning After
Green Smoothie Recipes That Actually Taste Good
Jane Maynard is a food blogger at This Week for Dinner and Babble, a writer and designer, and a lover of all things chocolate.
