The Only Time You Should Cover A Chicken When Roasting

Few things are as comforting and delicious as a classic roasted chicken. Sure, they are easy to buy ready-made from a nearby grocery store, but they are also easy and rewarding to make at home, as well as extremely versatile when it comes to flavors and side dishes to accompany your dinner. However, home cooks often face a common problem when roasting chicken: how to make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked but the skin remains golden and crispy? The answer is simple. If the skin starts getting too dark before the meat is done, cover the chicken until it finishes roasting. This applies when roasting the chicken whole or as individual pieces with their skin on.

The best way to tell when the chicken is fully done is using a simple digital meat thermometer; it will be done when the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F. But if you notice the skin is as brown as you like it and the meat temperature is still lower than 165, cover the pan with its lid or cover loosely with a foil tent to keep the skin from burning. 

The ideal temperature for roasting a whole chicken is between 325 and 450 degrees F. If you like to eat your chicken with the skin, start at 400 to 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and cook until the thermometer reads anywhere between 165 and 175 degrees F. If the skin looks good to you but the temperature is still low, cover the chicken. If you don't care about a perfectly crispy skin, consider slow roasting the chicken at 300 degrees for two and a half hours instead to achieve super moist and tender meat. Either way, it's best to keep an eye on the chicken as it cooks, and cover it as needed to prevent the skin from burning.

There are a few tips for roasting chicken properly, from choosing the right pan and temperature to brining, stuffing, and basting, which, by the way, also helps to get that skin crackling crispy and flavorful. A roasting pan with lid and a bottom rack is ideal, since elevating the chicken helps ensure air and heat circulation, helping it to cook faster and evenly, but a Dutch oven or a half-sheet pan work well too. A trick for keeping the chicken moist is adding a layer of sliced onions or citrus slices to the bottom of the pan, then placing the chicken on top, as in this orange and nutmeg chicken recipe.