Roast chicken facts for kids
Roast chicken is a delicious meal made from chicken. It is cooked by roasting it in an oven, over a fire, or using a special machine called a rotisserie. When chicken is roasted, its own fat and juices help to keep it moist and tasty. Often, a rotisserie is used to turn the chicken slowly. This helps the heat cook the chicken evenly and makes sure the juices spread all around. Roast chicken is a popular dish enjoyed in many countries around the world.
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Types of Roast Chicken Around the World
Roast chicken is prepared in many different ways across the globe. Each country or region often has its own special recipe and name for this popular meal.
Hendl: German and Austrian Roast Chicken
Hendl is the name for chicken in the Austro-Bavarian language, which is spoken in parts of Germany and Austria. When it's roasted, it's called Brathendl. Another popular way to prepare chicken there is Backhendl, which is a fried version. In other parts of Germany, roasted chicken is often called Hähnchen.
Hendl is a traditional food served at Bavarian beer gardens and big festivals like Oktoberfest. People often eat it with a large pretzel, called a Brezen, and a big glass of beer (a Maß). You can also find Hendl sold from special trucks that have rotisseries, often parked near supermarkets.
A dish called Paprika Hendl is even mentioned in the famous book Dracula by Bram Stoker. A character in the story enjoys it so much he wants the recipe!
Pollo a la Brasa: Peruvian Roast Chicken
Pollo a la Brasa means "chicken cooked over coals" in Spanish. It's also known as Peruvian chicken or charcoal chicken. This dish started with chicken cooked over charcoal. Today, the chicken is usually marinated (soaked in spices and sauces) and then roasted in a special oven called a rotombo. This oven turns the chicken slowly, making sure it cooks perfectly from the heat of the coals. Sometimes, wood from the Prosopis pallida tree is used for a special smoky flavor.
Other Popular Roast Chicken Dishes
Rotisserie chicken became very popular in the United States in the mid-1990s. Many supermarkets roast whole chickens using large rotisseries. These chickens are often sold at a lower price than fresh chickens, making them a great deal for families. For example, the store Costco sells millions of its whole roasted chickens every year. The Boston Market restaurant chain also became famous for its roast chicken.
Tandoori chicken is a well-known dish from the Indian subcontinent. It's made by marinating chicken in yogurt and spices, then roasting it in a special clay oven called a tandoor. This gives the chicken a unique smoky flavor and a reddish color.
Other popular roasted meat dishes that can be made with chicken include the Levantine Arab shawarma, Turkish döner kebap, and Greek gyros. These dishes involve thinly sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. In Taiwan, a version of shawarma called shāwēimǎ is almost always made with chicken.
In the United States, oven roasted chicken is often a special meal for holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving. Many people find it a comforting food. To roast a chicken at home, you usually prepare the bird, season it, and then place it in a hot oven. It's important to baste the chicken (pour its juices over it) regularly to keep it moist. The chicken is done when it reaches a safe temperature inside. It can be served with different kinds of stuffing, like oyster stuffing or chestnut stuffing.
Another way to cook chicken is called Chicken under a brick. This method involves placing a heavy object, like a brick, on top of the chicken while it cooks. This helps the chicken cook evenly and makes the skin extra crispy.
See also
In Spanish: Pollo asado para niños
