How To: Simply roast a chicken

Chris Dickerson demonstrates a simple way to make a delicious roast chicken.

He believes that the single most important thing in cooking chicken, or any meat, is to start by searing it. For this he recommends using a pan with a heavy bottom and an ovenproof handle, which can be transferred directly into the oven for the roasting.

He prepares the chicken by covering the surface liberally with salt and ground black pepper. Then it goes into the pan breast side down. He sears it in oil for several minutes per side, and it's ready to go into the preheated oven, where it will cook for about 45 minutes.

When it's done he lets it rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to lubricate the meat.