Perfect roast chicken recipe | Jamie Oliver Christmas recipes (2024)

FAQs

What temperature does Jamie Oliver roast chicken at? ›

What temperature is best for roasting chicken? Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 9, then as soon as you put your chicken in the oven, reduce the heat to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

Weigh your chicken and calculate the cooking time according to the guide below. Sit the bird in a roasting tin slightly larger than the chicken, and don't cover it with foil or you won't achieve a crisp skin. Basting your chicken during cooking will help keep the meat moist.

The name of the dish can be referred to as either 'roast chicken' or 'roasted chicken'. There isn't a difference. It's more normal to use the 'roast' version, though. For example, you might say 'For Sunday lunch, we usually have roast beef with roast potatoes.

Simply insert your food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken (for a whole chicken, that would be the breast). You know your chicken is cooked when the thermometer reads 180°F (82°C) for a whole chicken, or 165°F (74°C) for chicken cuts.

Remember: A chicken is only considered fully cooked when the entire bird reaches the safe temperature of 165ºF. Always check the thickest part of the bird, like a thigh or under a breast, to fully ensure doneness.

While it's safe to eat dark meat cooked to 165°, you'll get a bouncier bite. Allowing thigh meat and the like to reach somewhere between 175° and 190° will give you more tender meat because the connective tissues have longer to break down.

Cover the chicken breast in foil to hold in moisture and let it rest for at least five minutes. The resting time allows the juices to distribute themselves throughout the meat, making it easier to slice later. What you get is perfectly cooked cuts with no dry pieces in sight.

Larger cuts, such as whole chickens or bone-in pieces, often benefit from covered baking to ensure thorough and even cooking. Smaller cuts, like chicken breasts or tenders, can be baked uncovered for quick results. Lastly, think about the desired texture and flavor you're trying to achieve.

If you're cooking food that has a solid structure — like any type of meat or vegetables — no matter the temperature of the oven, you'll roast it. If you're cooking food that doesn't already have a solid structure, but will after it's cooked — like muffins, cake, bread, and casseroles — the proper method is baking.

What type of chicken is best for roasting? ›

Roaster — A roaster chicken is defined by the USDA as an older chicken, about 3 to 5 months old and weighing between 5 and 7 pounds. The roaster yields more meat per pound than a fryer and is usually roasted whole, but it can also be used in other preparations, like chicken cacciatore.

A rotisserie chicken will have similar nutrients to one you roast,” says Allers. “Similar protein, iron. The main difference is the amount and type of any additives.” Some stores “inject the chickens with a solution, which might contain added salt, sugar, various natural flavorings,” Allers explains.

Always let your bird come to room temperature, by leaving it outside of the fridge, covered, for an hour before cooking it. Why? Because your bird will cook unevenly otherwise. Many recipes suggest you rinse your bird before roasting it, but for most store-bought chickens this step isn't necessary.

Don't forget to remove the giblet bag before cooking the chicken. A giblet bag should be included if the whole chicken packaging says "with giblets- some may be missing." We do not recommend consuming the whole bird if you have cooked the chicken with the giblet bag inside.

Put simply, if you wash raw chicken, you are cross-contaminating your kitchen. Yes, fresh fruit and vegetables should be washed with cold water before preparation, but raw poultry should not. Don't worry: Properly cooking chicken will destroy any pathogens. In fact, it is the only way to destroy those pathogens.

Otherwise, follow this general formula: Cook large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts for 20 to 30 minutes in a 375-degree-F oven. Cook large, bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts for 35 to 40 minutes in a 375-degree-F oven.

When roasting meat and poultry, set the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) or higher. Explore the charts below to learn how to get great results every time you cook.

Whole bird: According to the USDA, you want take the temperature of a whole bird by inserting the thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing, and the thickest part of the breast. Avoid bones. If the temperature reads 165°F, then the chicken is ready.

For the ultimate juicy and tender chicken thigh experience, aim for an internal temp between 175 and 185 F. Any temperature higher than that can dry out or burn your meat, but the perfect 175° to 185° range will get you well above the minimum safe temperature and maximize the poultry's flavor potential.