how can i make roast chicken really yummy

[bednobs]

i usually put salt and pepper on but i want something totally yummy - please shre your ideas

[maxi2]

Put half a lemon inside before cooking and rub the chicken skin with garlic oil before the salt and pepper..

[Goodsoulette]

if you rub butter between the chicken and its skin and then fill the skin with some flavours you like (garlic, tarragon etc etc), or even slices of tomato are yummy.

I agree with the lemon though, i also chuck a couple of shallots a carrot and some bouquet garni in too.

[Whickerman]

This is easy - and tastes magnificent.

Start by making a stuffing mix. Take, say, 4 slices of bread and grate to tiny crumbs. Add about two large lumps of butter. Add one oniion, chopped finely. Sprinkle a generous amount of dried sage (from any supermarket) on the mix, and get your hands in there and mix really well. That goes inside the chicken before you put in the oven (I know that sounds obvious but some people will ask...!)

Next, seperate the skin from the meat on the breasts, without fully removing it (you can easily get your hand between them, trust me). A knob of butter on each breast but under the skin will keep the bird basted.

Nearly there.

Now, you can put a couple of rashers of smoked bacon on the top and put the whole thing in a casserole dish/oven brick/covered roasting dish, and into a pre-heated oven, gas mark 4�, for 90 mins. Allow to stand for ten minutes before carving, serve hot. Delicious!

[Shadow Man]

Stuff it with some roast pork and chestnut stuffing and have lay some streaky bacon over the top. Then grind loads of black pepper over it before the first baste.

[theonlyone]

I make holes in the breast skin and squeeze in lemon juice then grind black pepper on , put the rest of the lemon in the cavity

[hammerman]

I tease the skin away from the breasts on the top and then add a big lump of softened butter mixed with lots of lemon thyme leaves from the garden. Replace the skin as best you can.

I sometimes just sprinkle the skin with dried mediterranean herbs such oregana, rosemary and thyme....lovely

[nickmo]

It starts with the best quality of bird in the first place - not the cheapest supermarket rubbish with no flavour of its own, no texture to the flesh, no idea of where its come form - think of the welfare of the bird and what its been fed on in its 44 days of life....

As suggested too - lemon acts in the body cavity to moisten the flesh while cooking - use an unwaxed one by the way! - , butter under the skin will crisp it off - suggest use unsalted by the way if you also add bacon to dress the bird.

You can also use some paprika over the skin too, and to cook, suggest roast breast down for 20 mins first, remove, out up the other way to finish and cover til the last 15 mins of cooking. Remove the foil to brown the skin.

Using a roast rack and adding water or a gravy base in the tin under the rack will keepit moist too - if you feel rich, use a ggod dash of port or a claret in the trey to add a depth of flavour. this reduced makes a really excellent gravy.

Let the bird rest for 10 mins once cooked so you can carve it properly, make the gravy, finish the veg and so on..

[bednobs]

the reason i was asking was coz i spent loads of money on a free range corn fed thing

[Dee Sa]

prick the skin all over and rub in some honey before baking, add a little more 30 mins before finished.