Simplest Roasted Chicken

Simplest Roasted Chicken

1 4-pound chicken
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Remove any giblets from the chicken cavity. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold water; dry thoroughly with towels.

Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Tuck the wingtips under. Generously salt & pepper the cavity and outside of the chicken.

Roast for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Serves 4 to 6
Calories per serving depends on which part of the chicken you eat, and how much. Without skin, 1 of the breasts has about 142 calories; one of the thighs, about 109; one of the legs, about 90.

There are 1 million roasted chicken recipes. This is as simple and tasty a chicken as you’ll find. There’s absolutely no reason to futz around with butter under the skin, herbs in the cavity, starting the chicken at one temperature and turning it down later, turning the bird halfway through, etc. If you want to, by all means, do so…but this standby is a wonderful, hearty, simple supper for any busy evening.

For different sized chickens, cook at 400° F for 15 minutes per pound.