Cooking a whole chicken? what else to do with it?

Phate · 29 Apr 2011 at 12:53

Hi all,

Most weeks I cook a whole chicken from Tescos, when cooked I allow it to cool then strip and carve it then mix the pieces with pasta and salad and bung it in a container, this is then lunch for me and my sister for the week.

The chickens are typically 1.5kgs and take roughly 90mins to cook in the oven, I'm wondering if theres anything else I can do to the chicken to change/improve the taste (it tastes damn good anyway)

Maybe season it? marinate it..something?

I'm not sure, I'm pretty new to cooking and experimenting so please fully explain any suggestions

- Spicy or sweet, whatever flavour really, just something so its not completely bland chicken afterwards! (even if it does taste good anyway)

Many Thanks,
Jake

Raymond Lin · 29 Apr 2011 at 12:59

Lemon and Thyme & Garlic.

Crush Garlic, Thyme with some butter together, stuff that under the skin in the breasts
Cut the lemon in half, stuff it inside the chicken

Stick the chicken on a low rack in a baking tray. Put a strip of bacon on the breasts to stop it drying. Baste often.

mangobreeder · 29 Apr 2011 at 13:32

Phate beat me too it, buy a stick of lurpack garlic butter, add lemon thyme, and layover the chicken, roast in the usual manner,

only exception is i would not use bacon

Disco Boy · 29 Apr 2011 at 14:51

I agree with the above two, but don't forget to add salt and pepper too.

.Griff. · 29 Apr 2011 at 15:11

Beer can chicken? Not tried it myself but heard loads of people say how good it is.

Phate · 29 Apr 2011 at 15:18

.Griff. said:
Beer can chicken? Not tried it myself but heard loads of people say how good it is.

And what is beer can chicken?

.Griff. · 29 Apr 2011 at 15:23

Good guide here - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18224323

Phate · 29 Apr 2011 at 15:42

Gotcha, looks good, shall have to try

rG-tom · 29 Apr 2011 at 15:42

if you like crispy skin (i know i do

), rub a small amount of oil onto the skin so that it becomes sticky, and then sprinkle with rock salt, a small amount of chilli powder and plenty of paprika, and a bit of garlic to taste too.....amazing flavour

DM · 29 Apr 2011 at 16:13

I done one in the barbecue the other day on a bed of veg in a disposable cooking tray, very tasty.

bledd · 29 Apr 2011 at 16:39

Also, make chicken paste sandwiches with leftover chicken. I think the way to make it is..

Chicken
Chives
Ketchup
Salad cream
Splash of vinegar

Blend

Oynas · 29 Apr 2011 at 16:39

.Griff. said:
Good guide here - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18224323

Great thread - thanks! Going to give that a try. Must have missed that when it was first posted.

Stupot_ · 29 Apr 2011 at 17:40

Ta da

bsoltan · 3 May 2011 at 12:51

Make soup with the leftover carcass.

Ferax · 3 May 2011 at 15:14

bsoltan said:
Make soup with the leftover carcass.

Definately, or even just stock. Simmer it for a couple of hours with loads of water, an onion, carrot and bit of celery. A bay leaf and a sprig of thyme don't go amiss. Then make soup or amazing risotto. Great thing about doing this is that you really get the bets value out of a chicken, and it will taste a million times better than any bought stock. You can even save the stock and use it to make gravy for the next time you cook a whole bird

randomshenans · 3 May 2011 at 15:53

I love whole chickens as like said above you can get so much out of one bird that's about half the price of 3/4 breasts!

Phate · 3 May 2011 at 19:25

Buying my chicken tonight, going to give the beer can method a go

Going to do the same method as described but use Grolsh as my cooking beer of choice!

j.col · 3 May 2011 at 20:53

last week i done a chicken marinated in nandos sauce for 24 hrs, and it tasted great
spatchcock (butterfly) the chicken
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGKLtbiUflk
but i dont cut it in half.
and it cooks in 50 mins (as its flattened)

Phate · 3 May 2011 at 22:19

Right boys its in the oven! My first chicken, arse-beer style....doesn't sound very appetising does it

In the rub I added in chillis

- Be good to see what its like

Voltar · 3 May 2011 at 23:02

Raymond Lin said:
Lemon and Thyme & Garlic.

Crush Garlic, Thyme with some butter together, stuff that under the skin in the breasts
Cut the lemon in half, stuff it inside the chicken

Stick the chicken on a low rack in a baking tray. Put a strip of bacon on the breasts to stop it drying. Baste often.

Good shout there Raymond.

I'd say:

Shove a half clove of garlic and a knob of butter under the skin up to the front of the breast. Put lots of thyme all over it too and give it a smear with olive oil and butter. Bit of rosemary never hurt anyone either. Stick garlic and herbs in its bum. Put one rasher of bacon over each breast. Shove in the oven.

Also:
Get a bit of chilli and lemon into the same procedure as outlined above. Get some chorizo in with your potatoes and in its bum.

Another:

Get your casserole dish/ heavy pot. Butter and oil in. Whole/half shallots in (maybe 8-as many as you wish) halve an onion. Roughly chop a carrot or two. Heat high. Brown off the chicken all over and shallots and onion. Throw in the carrot bay leaf some thyme. 150/200ml chicken stock and a large glass of wine. stir. seal with foil. put the lid on. put in oven for an hour.
Done.