Recipes for Christmas Chicken please!

[Emily93]

Good evening all!

A little background information on me..

I'm 18 years old and a truly awful cook. My boyfriend refuses to let me even make him cereal!
We live apart at the minute, hopefully soon to be moving into our own little flat (hearing about it tomorrow).

I'm a vegeterian and he's a meat eater, so it's going to be us two and a chicken and salmon, but I'll ask for salmon recipes in the fish section

I was wondering if anyone had any recipes for a christmas chicken, with the usual roast potatoes, carrots, peas, and anything else!

Please help this girl prove that she can cook!

Thank you

 

[TATTRAT]

Welcome to DC! Where about in the UK are you and your man?

As for chicken, you can take it a million and six different ways, do you have a preference?

For keeping it in the Holiday Feel, I would brine my bird overnight: Salt, sugar, apple cider, a little lemon, pepper corns, sage and thyme. Drain bird and let rest/dry. Season skin with salt, put some aromatics in the cavity( More sage, thyme, and maybe an orange), and truss the bird. From there, it's just a matter of roasting it off.

Here is last years, all un-trussed, and ready to carve

 

[Emily93]

We're in Kent!

Haha, I'm sorry but I am an utter novice at this.. my expertise goes about as far as baking cakes from Tesco Kids Aisles xD

What does trussed mean, and how long do I roast for?

Thank you so much for the Recipe!

 

[TATTRAT]

We're in Kent!

Haha, I'm sorry but I am an utter novice at this.. my expertise goes about as far as baking cakes from Tesco Kids Aisles xD

What does trussed mean, and how long do I roast for?

Thank you so much for the Recipe!

Trussing is tying the wings and legs in, so that you get a nice tight bundle that promotes even cooking.

As for cooking times, it depends on the weight of the bird. I did that one, about 3lbs, in about an hour and a half. 350degrees F, and finished at 425f to crisp the skin. You want to look for an internal temp of 160/165 and let the bird rest. Make sure the juices run clear.

Also, worth noting, roasting the bird on a bed of coarse cut veggies or on a roasting rack is important. I use veggies to get the bird up, off the bottom of the pan, and the veg and drippings help make for a nice natural pan jus.

Haven't spent too much time in Kent. Lived in Sheffield and London for brief spells though(family is in good ol, rough and tumble Sheffield).

 

[Emily93]

Thank you so much for telling me I'll try out these recipes in the run up to Christmas and find out his favourites :P

I've never been to Sheffield, but I don't like London. Certain areas are beautiful, but too much violence for me.

 

[kadesma]

Emily,
I love to take a chicken then lift up the outer skin being as careful as possible I smear a compound butter over the skin. My compound butter is made up of 1 cube of soft butter, fresh chopped parsley about 2 tablespoons, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder,1 tea. onion powder, some Marjoram dried leaves about 2 teaspoons mix all together when well mixed smear on your chicken skin. If there is any left over smear that on the outer skin roast at 325 for about an hour and a half or til juice whey the leg joint if cut run clear. I put my veggies around in the pan with the chicken which can be set on a rack prefereabbly or right on top of the veggies wich will put a lot of juices and melted butter on the veggies I usually put the chicken on a rack. Good luck
kadesma

 

[Emily93]

Mmm, sounds really delicious, thank you so much!