Annie’s All Purpose Roasted Chicken

This is a great method for roasting chicken. It’s very versatile and can be used to assemble many meals. I like to keep the seasonings neutral (salt and pepper only) and then transform it by using it in fried rice, enchiladas, salads, pasta bakes, soups, rice bowls – whatever you fancy. I usually cook an entire package (3-4 large breasts) of bone-in, skin-on chicken. I roast mine in a casserole dish in the oven at 400º with a drizzle of avocado or olive oil, a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper until the whole house smells like chicken and the skin is a nice golden color. It’s not very precise, but in my oven it usually takes about 40 minutes. You can also use a digital thermometer until the chicken is 165º at it’s thickest section.

I then let them sit on the stove for a good hour while I do something else and allow them to cool This is the secret to juicy, tender, roasted chicken breasts! Then comes the messy part. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken in a large work bowl and discard the bones and skin (or snack on the crispy skin!). Pour the juices from the pan onto the shredded chicken. To store, place in a gallon sized ziploc bag or quart sized bags. Be sure that you flatten out the bags and force all the air out. If you freeze this, it will thaw rapidly when placed in a hot water bath.