Making the perfect roast chicken, or roast chicken breasts is something that every home cook needs to know how to prepare. Making juicy chicken breasts isn’t as easy as it sounds, but this recipe turns out the best chicken every time. it’s practically fool-proof!
Even as a former vegetarian (who occasionally cooked meat for friends and family), it’s a simple, hearty entree that is always a crowd pleaser with chicken-atrians, and omnivores.
Lots of frugal folks will advise you to buy a whole chicken and roast it. The savings and the number of meals you can get out of one decent-sized bird can be amazing….if your family is not picky like mine. I’ve talked before about making meals I know everyone will eat. Fewer battles at the dinner table=more time for bonding….or blogging. 😉
Since my family tends to love the breasts (read into that what you will), I devised a plan to make the most perfect chicken breasts ever. With a little advice from Cooks Illustrated (bone-in, skin on=juicier results) and a word of a bit of advice from Martha’s turkey recipe (high temps makes a golden skin) I’ve created the best chicken ever.
The best part? It’s super simple to make that I can get dinner going, and go do 16 other things while it cooks. A few simple sides, and you’re set. You’ll never look at birds the same way again!
Perfect Roasted Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- Organic bone-in chicken breasts (preferably local) - this recipe works for any number of breasts, but I typically roast 3-4 at a time.
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- Unsalted butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon
- optional - fresh rosemary, oregano, or other spices
- optional- onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots to roast alongside chicken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425
- Use EVOO to ';grease' the bottom of a large baking dish (stoneware or glass work great) Note : If using a spice mix or blend, mix in bowl and use where salt and pepper are directed)
- Place chicken breasts upside down in a dish, sprinkle sea salt and pepper on breasts
- Use hands to massage sea salt and pepper into back of breasts, and flip
- Repeat - sprinkle sea salt and pepper on front, and massage into chicken breast
- Take 1 pat butter ( about 1 tbsp) and spread over breasts. of butter is solid just place in equal amounts on top of breasts.
- If using optional onions, garlic, or veggies, add to dish now around breats
- Slice lemon in half, squeeze lemon juice on top of chicken breasts - add remains of lemon to dish next to chicken
- Place dish in fully heated oven for one hour
- Check internal temperature, and take out when breasts are golden, and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees or higher
Notes
The chicken makes great leftover chicken for sandwiches, salads, and soup as well.
What’s your favorite easy recipe?
Kelly
I have not, but ovens behave differently. You could turn it down to 350 after it gets crispy on the top, about 15-20 minutes into cooking it.
Ann Sullivan says
Mine smoked quite a bit and I had to put the oven fan on and open a window. Anyone else have this happen?