Crispy chicken can be acheived through roasting or broiling.
If you like chicken with a crispy skin but without breading, broiling and roasting are two good cooking methods. Broiling is better for halved or quartered chickens and roasting works best with a whole bird. Both oven cooking techniques result in a crunchy exterior and a juicy, moist interior. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Pan Selection
Broiling pans are very shallow and have two sections. The top pan has holes in it to let the juices and fats from the chicken drip to the bottom pan during cooking, which promotes the crisping process. For easy clean up, line the bottom pan with foil but do not use foil on the top pan as the accumulated liquids will cause flare-ups. A roasting pan is deeper and normally has a rack that fits in its bottom to suspend the chicken and let the heat flow freely around all sides during roasting.
Broiling Method
Cut the chicken into halves or quarters and place on the pan. Adjust the oven rack towards the top of the oven and place the chicken on it. Measure the distance between the top of the chicken and the broiler element. The chicken should be between 5 in. and 6 in. from the broiler to ensure even cooking without burning. Remove the chicken and preheat the broiler for around ten minutes. In the meantime, dry the chicken with paper towels, lightly coat with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place skin side down on the broiler rack. Keep a close eye on the chicken to prevent scorching and uneven cooking, turning it every five or ten minutes and rearranging the smaller pieces to the cooler, outer edges of the pan as needed. When the interior of the chicken reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it and let it rest for five minutes to let the juices redistribute themselves before serving.
Roasting
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the rack to the middle position. Pat the outside of a 3 1/2 to 4 lb. chicken dry, rub it with a little oil; salt and pepper it inside and out. If you want the chicken to retain its shape, tie the legs together with cooking twine and tuck the wings under the bottom of the bird. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in the broiler pan and carefully add water to the pan. This will prevent smoking as the drippings fall into the pan and create a nice sauce base at the end of the roasting process. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on weight. Periodically check the pan and add more water as needed. Using tongs, turn the chicken over, breast side down, and continue roasting another 45 minutes until all the skin is crisp and golden brown and the internal temperature is 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes, breast side down, to let the juices spread throughout the chicken before carving.
Cooking Tips
Avoid using a fork or other piercing tools to turn the chicken, as this will allow juices to escape. If you prefer skinless chicken, remove the skin after broiling or roasting to ensure the bird does not dry out and become tough.
Tags: breast side, chicken with, degrees Fahrenheit, side down, breast side down, five minutes