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Comfort food before the Blizzard: Roast a chicken

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The ultimate comfort meal is a simple roast chicken. When I first saw the original version of this recipe in Santa Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, I was terrified: never having tried to roast a whole bird, this looked intimidating.

Then I cooked it. It was very easy, and the result was amazing. Been doing birds like this for 30 years now. Grazie, Santa Marcella!

Marcella’s chicken with two lemons is the base, I have messed with it over the years. I cook it a little different and I add some stuff; if you want the purity and simplicity of her version, get that cookbook and follow her recipe. Mangia!

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Pollo Arosto alla Marcella (Roast Chicken)

Recipe by Chuck Cushman
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • 3-4 Lb. chicken

  • 2 whole lemons or limes, or one of each, rolled on the counter under the heel of your palm, then stabbed all over with a sharp paring knife

  • 1 sprig rosemary

  • 4 Tbsp olive oil

  • 3 Tbsp Kosher salt, divided

  • 3 Tbsp fresh black pepper, divided

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 450° F.
  • Clean and pat dry the chicken. Stuff the lemons/limes, the rosemary and 1 Tbsp each of salt and pepper in the cavity and close it by tying the legs with some kitchen twine.
  • Rub the outside with olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper all over.
  • Put the bird on a roasting rack on a small baking sheet. Roast at 450° for fifteen minutes, then drop the temperature to 375°. Cook for about an hour. The bird is done when juices run clear when you prick the thick part of the thigh with a paring knife.
  • Let the meat rest for 45 minutes to an hour.
  • Serve with your favorite sides, like roast potatoes, polenta, and some sauteed broccolini.
  • Variation: fill the baking sheet with chopped carrots, onions, and wee potatoes, which you salt and pepper and spritz with a little olive oil. And/or add a cup of white wine and some stock to the pan, too. They all cook together and it’s a one-pan meal, nearly….

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