Arabic Chicken

As spoken prior:

A new associate is observing the month of Ramadan a holy month of fasting for Muslims worldwide. So perhaps a bit of research and a post or two on the food of Ramadan is in order.

It is traditional to typically have two main meals during Ramadan: the Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and the Iftar (breaking-of-the-fast meal). Because of the lunar calendar, Ramadan falls at different times each year, so seasonal foods will often make their way onto the Ramadan table, changing things up just a little each time.

I’ve been out on assignment, and away from my kitchen. That specific phase of the assignment is over and I am recuperating from the mad rush. During the run up to launch and the launch, I did not shop or cook, so the pantry was rather lean, and that required a shopping trip of medium magnitude. While I was at the local restaurant supply I noticed that they had a large sale on chicken, breast, legs and whole roasters. Now I’ve had the mid-eastern thing going on so I start wondering….

Background / Tip / Technique
Before and after handling raw poultry, wash your hands with soap and hot water. Use a cutting board you specifically use for poultry. As raw poultry and the poultry juices can contaminate other foods, it is important that caution is taken in the storage and preparation of the chicken.

As a general rule, calculate a cooking time of 20 minutes per pound of meat plus an additional 10 – 20 minutes based on an oven temperature of 350ºF. A 5 lb chicken will need to be roasted for ~ 2hours. A 5 lb bird will usually serve between 4 – 5 people. (This is a rule of thumb, use a thermometer!)

I prefer to set the oven temperature to 450ºF and roast the bird at this temperature for the first 20 minutes. Then drop the temperature to 350ºF and complete the roasting. The initial blast of heat will result in a crispy and brown skin and deliciously succulent meat. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken’s thigh, do not touch the bone. When the chicken is done, the meat thermometer will have a temperature of 180ºF, and the juices will run clear. Do IGNORE the pop timer. (It lies)

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position.
2. Heat oven to 450° F.
3. In roasting pan position celery and onion to form a roasting rack.
4. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry.
5. Rub the oil over the skin.
6. Rub chicken with the Afghan rub
7. Rest the chicken for 30 minutes in the fridge
8. Place the chicken in the pan, on the veggies.
9. Tuck the wings beneath the chicken.
10. Roast for 20 minutes.
11. Reduce temperature to 350°
12. Add 1 cup water and roast until the chicken is cooked through, ~180° F on a thermometer.
13. Remove from oven and transfer it to a cutting board.
14. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.
15. If making a pan sauce, reserve the drippings.