Should my chicken sit in liquid as it roasts, or not?
For the last chicken I roasted, I used this recipe, slightly modified. The biggest modification was that I added liquid to the pan, it was eyeballed but let's say I used about 1/2 to 1 cup total of a vinegar/homemade chicken stock mixture...enough to come about halfway up the halved onions, in a 12" cast iron skillet.
After reading responses to this question about flipping the bird to get crispy skin, I had decided that some liquid in the pan wouldn't be a problem.
Turns out, when I took the bird out to rest and reduced the liquid (now with chicken drippings added), I was treated to the most delicious gravy I've ever had. It was like sweet liquid gold. I think the caramelization of the onions over the 2 hours was the main reason. I definitely want the same result, gravy-wise.
This time, I don't want to flip the chicken but I still want crispy skin, so I'm going to follow the recipe a little more strictly and not add any extra liquid to the pan and just baste with its own juices as they come out. However, I don't want to lose that delicious caramelized onion gravy.
So, my question: Will the onions still caramelize properly if they don't have a good amount of liquid around them to start? Or should I oil my skillet or add a small amount of liquid so there's something in there until the chicken starts to drip?
Also: Any other reasons for or against liquid in the pan that I might be missing?
Best Answer
The secret to really crispy skin has everything to do with rendering the fat that lies directly under it. Once that fat has removed itself from the skin, a little high heat will crisp it up perfectly. If I am creating a roast chicken, I normally remove it from the packaging and allow it to sit uncovered in the fridge for at least overnight, longer if I have the time. Then I start the chicken low to render the fat, you have to cook it at a minimum of 178F (80C) to remove the most fat. Once the fat renders out, which is going to vary depending on the temp you start the chicken at, you crank the temp to the 450 to 500F range and baste regularly.
To maximize the skin that will crisp you want to make sure that your chicken isn't sitting inside the fat while it cooks. I normally use a inset rack to keep the chicken above the fat but you don't have to. The other component to crispy skin is cooking the chicken uncovered.
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Do you put liquid in the pan when roasting a chicken?
Add water during roasting to keep the pan drippings from burning. The water helps those rich drippings stay tasty for a flavorful sauce. By the time the chicken is done, the water will have boiled down, and the drippings will be ready for a delicious, easy pan sauce.Why is my roast chicken watery?
You're not completely drying chicken off before you cook it If the chicken is not dry, it will release more moisture while cooking." If any moisture in the chicken seeps out into the pan, the chicken will steam.Do you rest chicken in its juices?
Always let meat rest directly after cooking it. Whether it's chicken or beef, juices will flood out of a cut of meat if sliced immediately. As Serious Eats explains, the important part here is temperature: Letting meat rest and cool down a bit allows the muscle fibers to better hold onto the juice.How do you keep a roasted chicken from drying out?
Foil. Using foil to cover the breast of the bird near the end of cooking can help prevent the meat from drying out and the skin from getting too brown. Watch carefully in the last 30 minutes and lay foil over the top of the chicken if necessary.More answers regarding should my chicken sit in liquid as it roasts, or not?
Answer 2
You have the right idea for leaving out the liquid to produce a crispier skin. The patting dry step in your recipe will also be critical. A little oil or butter under your vegetables will help keep the onions from sticking to the pan.
Any liquid you add will cause steam, which will tend to soften the skin on your bird.
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