master-cooks | Get More Out Of Your Roast Chicken With A Simple Pan Swap

Roasting a chicken is a beloved culinary tradition, but a simple change in technique can elevate it to new heights. Instead of the conventional roasting pan, consider using a cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet. These alternatives offer distinct advantages that enhance the final dish. A cast-iron skillet retains heat evenly and creates a beautifully crisp skin while keeping the meat juicy. Its ability to go from stovetop to oven also allows for additional flavor-building steps, such as searing the chicken before roasting. On the other hand, a baking sheet provides more surface area, promoting even browning and allowing for additional ingredients like vegetables to roast alongside the chicken, soaking up its rich flavors. This method also facilitates air circulation, ensuring the chicken cooks evenly. Both options encourage the natural juices to caramelize, resulting in a deeper flavor profile. By simply swapping your pan, you can make the most out of your roast chicken, unlocking new textures and flavors. This minor adjustment requires no extra effort but rewards you with a meal that feels both familiar and refreshingly elevated, making it perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions.

Perfect roast chicken, thanks to a Bundt pan

A Bundt pan is an excellent choice for roasting chicken due to its central fluted tube, which promotes even heat distribution throughout the pan. This design allows a whole chicken to stand upright, ensuring that it roasts evenly and develops crispy skin all around. In fact, using a Bundt pan for roasting is just one of the many creative ways to utilize it beyond baking cakes.

Once you've seasoned the chicken to your liking, position the bird's cavity over the center tube, with the wings facing up and the legs down. It will appear as if it's sitting upright in the pan, ready for attention. You can choose to truss the legs or leave them as they are. The clever design of the pan (which also applies to straight-sided tube pans) allows you to fill the surrounding area with classic aromatics such as onions, potatoes, lemon wedges, and herbs. To make cleanup easier, consider covering the hollow tube with a few squares of aluminum foil to prevent the chicken's juices from spilling onto the stove or baking tray.

Generally, you can bake the chicken in the same manner as you would in any other pan. Some people notice that darker pans tend to produce a hotter bake, which might not be ideal for cakes but works well for chicken. Ensure that the pan you select is on the larger side (a standard 12-cup Bundt pan is typically considered large enough) to accommodate the bird and provide adequate space for proper roasting. If you enjoy basting your chicken during cooking, this method makes it easy to access the pan juices.

Get More Out Of Your Roast Chicken With A Simple Pan Swap

Perfect roast chicken, thanks to a Bundt pan

Recommended

Next up