Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken pieces, bone in, skin-on
1 T olive oil
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried tarragon
1/4 t ground white pepper
A few twists of the kosher salt grinder

Spoon Mage™ Note:

Exactly how long the chicken will take to bake depends upon the type of chicken parts, the size of the pieces, and how closely they are smooshed together.

Breasts may be bigger than thighs, but the texture of this type of meat means it cooks a lot faster. Position breasts in the center of the pan and surround them with thighs. This helps them finish together. If you use all breast meat, plan for the dish to be done 10-15 minutes sooner than the recipe indicates.

If the chicken parts are well browned before the meat is done, tent the pieces loosely with foil, and check for doneness every 5 minutes – clear juices and an internal temp of 165° F.

Directions:

30 minutes before cook time, wipe the chicken pieces with paper towels and place them in an 11×13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Arrange the chicken, skin side up, so that the breasts are in the center, surrounded by legs and thighs.

Lightly brush the skin with the olive oil.

Sprinkle each piece with garlic, tarragon, and white pepper.

Lightly dust each piece with salt.

Let the chicken set out for 30 minutes. If you have cats, put the pan in the microwave or other safe place!

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Bake the chicken, uncovered, and undisturbed. The skin will start to brown in about 30 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 400°F and roast for another 20 minutes. Do not turn the chicken pieces.

After 20 minutes check the meat for doneness. Pierce a breast in the thickest part to see if the juices run clear. If they do, then use an instant read thermometer, if it’s ready, the breast will read 165° F.

Now check the thighs. They should also read 165°F.

If the breast is at 165°F and the thighs are not, place the breast on a platter and tent with foil.

Return all under temp meat to the oven and check again in 10 minutes.

Check any still roasting meat every 5-10 minutes as chicken dries out very quickly once it goes beyond 165° F. Baking for a full hour is not uncommon given the size of chicken pieces these days.

Remove the pan from the oven and place thighs on the platter with the breast meat. Tent loosely for five minutes. This is the perfect amount of time to smash the potatoes!

Plate and serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a nice green veggie.