In the Kitchen with Sigona’s Featuring: Rocky Jr. Whole Chicken

Basic Whole Roasted Chicken

This is truly one of the simplest ways to enjoy chicken. A few seasonings and fresh herbs and you’re done. Plus, you can use the carcass for making your own broth or stock. Recipe courtesy of Luisa Ormonde of Luisa’s Catering in San Carlos.

Tip: If you want extra crispy skin, salt the chicken the night before and refrigerate it uncovered. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.

Ingredients:

• 1(4 to 5 lb.) Rocky Jr. free range whole chicken, neck and giblets removed from the cavity
• Coarse Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, sage or thyme and lemon (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Place the chicken on a work surface or cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut off and discard any extra fat hanging around the body cavity.
3. Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the lemon and herbs inside the cavity, if using. Place the chicken breast-side up in a large roasting pan (I like to line the pan with aluminum foil for super easy cleanup). Tie the legs together with cooking string.
4. Roast the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue roasting until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh (but not touching the bone) registers 165°F, about 1 hour more.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cutting board. Let it rest at least minutes before carving.

Roast Chicken Stock 

Have you heard there are restaurants in New York serving to go cups of warm bone broth? It’s all the rage now, especially during cold and flu season. For more about the healing and feel-good properties of bone broths, check out this “Bones, Broth, Bliss” article from the New York Times, which happens to quote Michelle Tam, author of the popular paleo blog Nom Nom Paleo, penned right here in the Bay Area.

Stock recipe courtesy of Luisa Ormonde of Luisa’s Catering in San Carlos.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Luisa Ormonde of Luisa’s Catering in San Carlos (Luisa noted this is how much stock you get from two chicken carcasses)

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken carcasses left over from roast chicken, any herbs in cavities discarded
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• A few whole black peppercorns
• Filtered water, enough just to cover

Directions: Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large stockpot (break up the chicken carcasses if necessary, so they fit well). Reduce heat and simmer, skimming foam occasionally, at least 2 hours but the longer it goes, the more flavor you’ll extract.

Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (I like strain into an extra-large glass measuring cup for easy pouring into containers and like to line the sieve with cheesecloth or a strong paper towel sheet for an extra clear stock). Discard of solids as you continue straining.

If using stock right away, skim off and discard fat. If not, chill stock (covered once cool) and discard fat after it solidifies.

Stock can be chilled up to 3 to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months.