Roast chicken is a simple but perfect dish when convection roasted: the meat is juicy and the skin is brown and crisp. I reach for fresh herbs in the summertime or dried ones in the winter and a bit of butter, then slip them under the breast skin before baking. When there’s absolutely no time, I just put the chicken in the oven. Be sure to place the chicken on a rack above a shallow roasting pan for perfect air circulation. To turn this into a one-dish meal, add some vegetables—carrot chunks, potato cubes, onion wedges, fennel sticks, cut-up zucchini, or anything in season. Roast them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan beneath the chicken. Following this basic recipe, I give my favorite variations.
For aesthetic reasons, many cooks like to truss the bird, that is, tie the legs together. This inhibits the heat from reaching the inner thigh meat, which increases the roasting time. During this time the breast meat can become very dry and overcooked. I prefer not to truss the bird at all, especially if I have planned to carve it in the kitchen.
