May 3, 2024

Basil and Thyme Whole Roasted Chicken

Basil and thyme whole roasted chicken is a great, classic dish that never fails to impress. Whether you are cooking for just yourself, your family, or making a chicken for a special occasion, a golden, roasted chicken is always a great option. With this recipe, you can have a beautifully dressed up weekend meal with the chicken as the main centerpiece or you can have a cozy weeknight dinner. With only a few simple ingredients and very little prep time required, making your own roasted chicken will make everybody happy. At the end of this recipe, you will have learned how to make the perfectly, roasted chicken every time.

By the end of this blog post, you will have learned how to make a basil and thyme roasted whole chicken.

How to Pick a Good Chicken

Picking a good chicken is critical in having a delicious dinner and with the advice below, you will be able to pick the perfect whole chicken every time!

Chicken Appearance

Colour: When purchasing the chicken from the store, the chicken should be pink in colour. If the chicken is greyish, green, or yellowish in colour, you need to pick a different chicken.

Odour: chicken should have little to no odour coming from it. If there is a smell or the chicken smells foul to you, it would be best to get a different chicken.

Size: the size of the chicken depends on how many people that you are thinking of feeding. The packaging often says how many people that the chicken will feed with 4-5 lbs normally being a good size for a family or gathering.

Organic and Free Range: when a chicken is organic or free-range, that often indicates that the chicken is of a good quality which is why these chickens tend to be more expensive than the other chickens on the shelf.

External Factors

Sell by Date: It goes without saying, but make sure that the chicken is not expired and that you will be able to cook the chicken before the expiry date as well.

Check the Packaging: make sure that the packaging is secure on the chicken. There should not be any tears or leaks in the packaging that is covering the chicken. If there is an issue with the packaging, this could compromise the freshness and quality of the chicken.

Check for Giblets: Some chickens come with their giblets (liver, heart, and neck) while others do not. The giblets will come packaged inside of the chicken cavity. If you are planning on using them, check them to make sure that they are fresh. If the chicken does not come with any giblets, just check to make sure that the chicken’s cavity is clean and empty.

Ask the Butcher: If you are really stuck and do not know what to look for, ask the butcher. They will know what to look for in a good chicken and how big that you will need it for how many people that you are feeding. They have the expertise to know what is the best option for you.

Do I Need to Use an Oven Rack in my Roasting Pan?

No, an oven rack is not necessary when baking a chicken; however, there are benefits to using an oven rack. Using an oven rack allows the air to better circulate underneath of the chicken which allows for a more even cooking of the bird which makes the skin underneath crispy. If the chicken is placed directly onto the bottom of the pan, the back and the wings can become soggy due to sitting in its own juices while cooking.

Another benefit of using an oven rack is that you will be able to easily slide your vegetables underneath of the chicken. The vegetables will then be roasting in the chicken juices and will be given a much better flavour.

While an oven rack is not a necessity, if you do not use one, consider flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time. This will allow for a more even cooking.

Can I Prep My Chicken the Night Before?

Yes, you can prep your chicken the night before. To prep your chicken, season it in the evening before you cook it so that it is allowed to marinate in the herbs and spices. If you ae not planning on stuffing your chicken, you can also truss your chicken the night before. Some chickens from the store come pre-trussed so this is not a mandatory or even needed step sometimes. Once the chicken is prepped, seal it in an airtight container and place into the fridge.

If you are planning on stuffing your chicken, DO NOT stuff it the night before as this can breed harmful bacteria int the stuffing. Only stuff your chicken right before you plan on cooking it.

If you are going to make vegetables to go with your chicken, you can peel and store them in the fridge the night before as well. If you are planning on using potatoes, it is best to prepare them right before you use them because they can discolour. However, you can peel and prep them the night before, but they need to be left in a bowl of water to keep them from discolouring.

How Long is a Roast Chicken Cooking Time in the Oven?

For a roasted chicken, the cooking time is:

20 minutes/lb plus 20 minutes or;
45 minutes/kg plus 20 minutes.

How to Carve a Roasted Chicken

Learning how to carve a roasted chicken is actually quite easy once you learn the basic steps. Read the steps below for instructions on how to carve the chicken.

Let the chicken rest: Once the chicken is cooked remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. This will give it time for the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken resulting in a juicier bird.
Remove the legs: Using a sharp knife, cut through the skin between the chicken thigh and breast. Pull the whole leg away (thigh and drumstick) from the body until the leg pops out of the joint. Cut through the joint now and repeat on the other leg.
Separate the thigh and drumstick: Take the whole chicken leg and locate the joint between the thigh and drumstick. Take the knife and cut through it.
Remove the wings: Pull the wing away from the body and cut through the joint with the knife.
Slice the breast meat: Make a parallel cut along the breastbone. Then slice along the base of the breast to release the meat from the chicken. Remove the whole breast and slice it up separately on a cutting board. Repeat on the other side.
Serve: Take the chicken meat and arrange it onto a serving tray and garnish with fresh herbs.

Taking your time to carve the chicken and using a sharp knife will allow you to carve your chicken more efficiently and neatly.

What is Trussing?

Trussing a chicken means to take the chicken’s legs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Trussing helps the chicken to retain moisture and cook evenly while giving the chicken a beautiful presentation. This step is optional.

Ingredients

Whole Chicken: the whole chicken is the main centerpiece of this recipe. Being able to master roasting a delicious whole chicken will elevate your dinners for years to come.

Onion: onions help to add flavour when inserted into the cavity of the chicken.

Garlic Cloves: garlic is inserted into the cavity of the chicken to infuse flavour into the chicken. It is commonly used as a health supplement for the common cold and flu but getting it from your food is a great bonus!

Olive Oil: olive oil helps the spices and herbs to stick on the chicken. It also helps the skin to crisp and to get a beautiful golden colour.

Salt: salt is a common seasoning to add flavour.

Black Pepper: black pepper is also used to add more flavour.

Basil: basil adds a hint of sweetness to the chicken.

Thyme: thyme is an herb that is slightly savoury and sweet without overpowering the other flavours. You do not need a lot of it to get the desired flavour that you want.

Tips

Patting the chicken dry with paper towels allows the skin of the bird to become crispy while cooking.
The safe internal temperature of a chicken is 165℉/75℃. You can check the temperature with an instant thermometer. Insert it into the thigh without touching the bone for an accurate reading.
While checking the temperature of a chicken is the safest method with a thermometer, another method is stabbing the chicken with a knife and if the juices of the chicken run clear then it is finished cooking.
Trussing the chicken helps to retain more moisture and to cook evenly while giving a professional presentation.
If your chicken is browning too quickly on top, remove it from the oven and cover it with aluminum foil. Return to the oven to let finish cooking.
If you do not have time in the morning to peel and cut potatoes, you can peel them the night before. They will need to be left in a bowl of cold water though. Be sure that they will not be left for a super long time as they can become waterlogged.
The amount of time for cooking a chicken is 20 minutes/lb plus 20 minutes or 45 minutes/kg plus 20 minutes.
Keep the leftover chicken juices, bones, skin, garlic cloves, and onion. You can simmer them and make either Chicken Stock or Chicken Bone Broth.

Looking for More Chicken Recipes? Try these recipes below.