Garlic Rosemary Chicken

This week, my grocery store had a $0.99/lb sale on whole chickens, so I was determined to put my new roasting pan to the test.  I chose a roast chicken recipe from Cook's Illustrated's The New Best Recipe.  My grocery store stocks larger chickens than this recipe calls for, however, so the cooking time was tweaked according to instructions found in The Joy of Cooking. It came out spot on.

Since I first posted this recipe, I've made some tweaks.  First, I now double the amount of garlic rosemary paste.  Second, I add minced rosemary to the potatoes as well.  Finally, I stole the idea of adding lemon to the potatoes from Ina Garten's Engagement Roast Chicken.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes

serves 4

Break down one whole head of garlic into unpeeled cloves. Reserve 10 cloves for the brine, 4 for the rub, and use the remainder with the potatoes.

Brine
Mix together in a ziplock bag:
1/2 c. table salt (or 3/4 c. Morton's kosher salt)
10 unpeeled garlic cloves
3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Beat with a rolling pin to smash the garlic cloves.  Then add to a large stock pot with 2 c. hot water.  Let steep for 10 minutes.

Add 6 cups cold water and a whole chicken (about 4-6 pounds), giblets removed; or 6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs and breasts.  Brine for 1 hour in the refrigerator, turning the bird over at 30 minutes.

Garlic rosemary paste (doubled)
4 tsp. minced fresh rosemary (about 4 stems)
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced (or pressed)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1.5 tbsp. olive oil

Potatoes and garlic mixture
1.5 pounds raw Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
10 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 lemon, cut lengthwise into 4-6 slices
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary (about 2 stems)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1.5 tbsp. olive oil

Cooking the chicken

If roasting cut up pieces rather than a whole chicken, arrange the potatoes and chicken in a single layer on a high-sided baking sheet.  Rub the garlic rosemary paste under the skin of each chicken piece, then coat the outside with olive oil and season with black pepper.  Roast for 50 minutes at 400.

If roasting a whole bird, place the chicken in a roasting rack coated with non-stick spray.  Rub about 1.5 tsp. of the garlic rosemary paste inside the cavity of the chicken.  Use the rest under the skin of the chicken, concentrating on the breasts and thighs.  Once finished, tie the legs together with cooking twine.  Coat the outside of the chicken with olive oil and season with black pepper.  Then turn the chicken breast side down before placing it in the oven:

• Roast for 15 minutes at 450.
• Add potatoes and garlic to the bottom of the pan.
• Roast for an additional 15 minutes at 450.
• Remove pan from the oven and turn the temperature down to 375.
• While waiting for the oven to adjust, rotate the chicken so it's breast side up and stir the potatoes.
• Roast at 375 until done (breast 160-165 and thigh 170-175).

Total cooking time estimate: 1 hour for the first 4 pounds, then add 8 minutes for each additional pound (e.g. 5.5 pound chicken = 1 hour and 12 minutes roasting time).

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.  Meanwhile, remove the lemon pieces from the potatos and add about 1 tbsp. of butter.

Shopping list
whole chicken, 4-6 pounds
fresh rosemary
1 whole head of garlic
1.5 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
1 lemon


Recommended products:
In the past, I've had to use an adjustable V-rack and a small baking dish for roasting.  The V-rack is incredibly obnoxious, because even when coated in cooking spray, it tends to stick to the protein and thus come undone whenever you try to turn the meat.  Tonight's infinitely preferable weapon of choice:

Cuisinart stainless steel 16" roasting rack