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Whole Roasted Chicken

This luxurious whole roasted chicken, made with a whole chicken, is a celebratory dish perfect for your Christmas dinner. Rubbing sugar into the chicken makes it moist and juicy, allowing you to enjoy the flavors of different parts.

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Rinse the whole chicken under cold water, removing any internal debris.
🕒 01:09
Thoroughly pat dry the rinsed whole chicken with paper towels. Dry the outside and the inside cavity as well.
🕒 01:32
Rub 2 tsp of sugar all over the whole chicken (outside and inside). [Key Tip!] Rubbing sugar first helps retain moisture, making the meat very tender.
🕒 01:58
Once the sugar has been absorbed, rub 2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper all over the whole chicken (outside and inside).
🕒 02:57
Place the thinly sliced garlic (1 clove) and rosemary sprig (1) on the surface of the whole chicken to infuse flavor.
🕒 03:23
Wrap the whole chicken in plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the meat to come to room temperature.
🕒 03:48
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
🕒 04:00
Cut 1 celery stalk and 1/2 onion into 1cm cubes.
🕒 04:10
Cut 2 potatoes and 1 carrot into bite-sized, irregular pieces. If using unpeeled potatoes, wash them thoroughly.
🕒 04:54
After 1 hour, lightly pat dry any juices that have come out of the whole chicken. Remove the garlic and rosemary that were placed on the surface. Also, wipe out any juices from the cavity.
🕒 05:42
Stuff the reserved garlic and rosemary, along with the chopped celery and onion, into the cavity of the whole chicken. Set aside any vegetables that don't fit. [Key Tip!] Stuffing vegetables infuses the chicken's juices into them, making them delicious.
🕒 06:23
Use a few toothpicks to sew the skin of the whole chicken's backside shut, securing the stuffing inside.
🕒 07:23
Cross the legs of the whole chicken and tie them firmly with kitchen twine to shape. Trim any excess twine.
🕒 08:02
Place the whole chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Tuck the wing tips underneath as they can burn easily.
🕒 08:47
Evenly coat the entire surface of the whole chicken with olive oil (to taste). [Key Tip!] Applying olive oil generously results in a beautiful golden-brown finish.
🕒 09:05
Arrange the cut potatoes, carrots, and any leftover celery and onion around the whole chicken on the baking sheet.
🕒 09:26
Drizzle olive oil (to taste) over the vegetables as well.
🕒 10:00
Place in the lower rack of the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven and roast for 30 minutes.
🕒 10:10
After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the rendered fat from the pan over the entire whole chicken. If there isn't enough fat, add more olive oil (to taste) and spoon it over. [Key Tip!] This step of basting with oil helps achieve a beautiful finish.
🕒 10:24
Return to the 200°C (400°F) oven and roast for another 40 minutes. [Key Tip!] Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh; if the juices run clear, it's ready.
🕒 10:53
Let the chicken rest after roasting. [Key Tip!] Allowing the chicken to cool slightly before carving helps prevent excess juices from escaping.
🕒 11:32
Before carving, remove the kitchen twine from the legs and the toothpicks from the backside.
🕒 11:49
Cut through the hip joint of the thigh meat. Repeat on the other side.
🕒 12:42
Insert a knife along the breastbone and separate the meat from the bone, cutting it away with the wing. Repeat on the other side.
🕒 13:43
Scrape any remaining meat off the bones with a knife and arrange it on a platter with the rest of the chicken. Enjoy!
🕒 15:02