Every busy homemaker prefers to serve whole chicken dishes during family reunions and intimate gatherings with friends and associates. This is because whole chicken recipes usually serve a small number of people, making them convenient yet very tasty dishes.
Even for the most experienced cook, whole chicken recipes can be quite challenging. Unlike other dishes wherein you can taste them while cooking, you will only know how your dishes turned out after you pop it out of the oven. There is no way of knowing if you have put in too little or too much salt, pepper and other seasonings. Some homemakers, on the other hand, have difficulty in determining when the chicken is thoroughly cooked, and unlike beef or pork, chicken meat cannot be eaten rare. As a result, there is a tendency to overcook the whole chicken dish, even with the use of a meat thermometer.
The only way to be a master of whole chicken recipes is through patient but determined experimentation. While you are likely to make some mistakes the first time, take note of these errors and make the necessary adjustments in ingredients and cooking time. Before you know it, you would have perfected your whole chicken dish.
Give your cooking skills a go with these easy whole chicken recipes…
Rotisserie Chicken
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (around 3 pounds)
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tbsp ground black pepper
Instructions:
1) Season the inside of your chicken with salt.
2) Place the chicken inside a rotisserie and set the grill on high. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes.
3) While grilling the chicken, mix the butter, salt, paprika and pepper together in a small bowl.
4) Lower the heat of the grill to medium. Open the lid of the rotisserie and baste the chicken all over with the butter mixture
5) Closing the rotisserie, cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Baste the chicken as often as necessary. Cook the chicken up to 180F. Measure the temperature in the thigh with a meat thermometer.
6) Remove the chicken from the rotisserie. Let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes before carving the chicken and serving.
Smoked Herb Chicken
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (around 4 pounds)
3 tbsps butter
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
Instructions:
1) Preheat the outdoor grill to the low heat setting.
2) Rinse your chicken thoroughly inside and out and pat dry with a paper towel. With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin around the breast area.
3) Rub butter in under the skin.
4) Mix all the herbs together. Rub half of this herb mixture under the skin and the other half inside the chicken.
4) Cook your chicken over hot smoke for 4 hours, or poke it with a fork or skewer occasionally until the juices run clear.