A Canadian Cook with Spanish Flavor: Is that a Chicken Sitting in the Oven?

I just love that phrase! Props go to my Spanish friend Luz when she saw my roasted chicken actually sitting in the oven :)

This method is now my only method for roasting a chicken. Simple, cheap and JUICYYYY! I have never eaten a juicier roasted chicken. There is something about having it sit on the beer can (wrapped in aluminium fold if you prefer) that gives it all the "funk".

My mom used to have this "sitting up" roasted chicken rack but we had never used it with beer until I bought one to bring back to Madrid. I loved how the skin would not bathe in the pan juices and would be crispy all around. Turned out the roaster is made especially to fit a beer can in. I told my Mom and she's been doing it this way since then as well. Those that don't have the roasting rack, I have succesfully done it without it, the chicken sitting on the can alone, and it works great. You just gotta be careful and make sure that it's balanced; last thing you want is to clean your oven of beer.

I did this roasted chicken as the second dish from our Sunday lunch. It was a great combination with the Fabada Asturiana :)

Roasted Chicken with Baked Potatoes and Gravy

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
8 potatoes
2 or 3 tbsps of Montreal Chicken Spices (paprika, garlic salt, celery salt, pepper...) or your own rub
1 beer can
2 tbsp of flour
2 tbsp of butter
parsley
oil

Preheat your oven at 180 C.

Take you beer can, open it and drink about 1/3 of it ;). Ok, if you are not thirsty, reserve it for later. Place the can into the rack (if you are using one).

Take you spices or rub and rub it well onto the chicken inside and out. When done, place the chicken onto the rack.

Place in the oven and cook for about 1 hour. It really depends on your chicken's size. You can always use a meat thermometer.

About 20 minutes into the cooking, peel and slice the potatoes.

Add salt, pepper, a bit of the rub from the chicken, parsley and oil. Mix well. Add them to the oven dish you are cooking the chicken onto. I always use a dish even though there is a recipient under the chicken as it always drips on the sides.

Here is my sitting chicken in the oven with the potatoes. :)

Remove from oven and let rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes. Trust me. Do not start cutting it before because alllllll the juices from the meat will fill your cutting board. I learned by mistake; I basically add about 1 cup of liquid all over my cutting board and counter! I seriously had never seen so much juice come out of a roasted chicken. If you wait, you'll have some but a lot less and the juices will remain in the meat.

To prepare the gravy, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and mix until a roux is formed. Add the drippings from the recipient of the chicken and some of the beer from the can. Mix well. Depending on the thickness you want, add some more beer. Add parsley and a bit of the rub. Taste and adjust if needed. Best gravy ever :)!!!