Caslon
Executive Chef
I've roasted chicken with and without the rack. The chicken fat is rendered and stays in the pan - it is not absorbed by the chicken. And it doesn't burn. So in my experience, the rack is just an extra item to clean and doesn't provide any benefit.
I'll use a cooling rack to set some chicken on, for my lazy set and forget meal. A large plastic baking bag set inside a larger aluminum pan, with potato slices and frozen green beans up front, formed aluminum dividers keep them seperate. I staple the bag shut. Not bad for set and forget.
What works best for me so far is to season and lightly fry the legs in in a cast iron skillet for 8 min or so, then put the skillet in the oven at 325F for about 40 minuntes. If I set the temp any higher, the meat splits apart and is done almost too fast.
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