Numerous times that I have tried making roast chicken back in Manila and I can remember all those sweaty days in the kitchen. I have searched and tried almost all of the methods I know, from stuffing the chicken, to carefully separating the skin from the flesh while easing that layer of butter in between, to different kinds of marinades. And numerous times, I have failed with coming out with the perfectly cooked roast chicken because I didn't know how long does it take for it to be perfectly cooked, without destroying the flesh. I can still remember the days when I could hear complaints about how dry the roast chicken was or, worse, undercooked.
In the end, I realize that it doesn't matter what kind of marinade you use, even the plain salt and pepper will work wonders if you know how to roast a chicken properly. Fortunately, I have stumbled upon a roasting technique from Kylie Kwong's Radical Chicken. The method she used was simple. For the first 20-30 mins, cover the chicken with al foil, then roast it in the oven under 180C. After which, roast the chicken on a higher temperature, say 200-220C, removing the al foil for further 20-30 minutes. This way, you will always have a moist chicken with the desirable and sought after crispy skin.
The marinade I used was a mixture of different herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil. I kept this in the refrigerator overnight and take it out 10-15 minutes before I place it in the oven.
When it comes to family dinners, this has been the staple and most requested of all the dishes I make. Bon appetit!
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