Perfectly Roasted Chicken Is Made Easy With This Type Of Cookware

Universally beloved, roast chicken and fries is a classic menu item at French restaurants. However, if your attempts to recreate this yummy meal at home are falling short (despite using the best ingredients you can find), it's time to reassess your cookware. While a regular baking dish is useful for making a reasonable roast chicken, a Dutch oven is the key to preparing one that's juicy in the middle but golden and crisp on the outside.

Dutch ovens are perfect for roasting a chicken because they distribute heat evenly, guaranteeing that the temperature inside the pot remains constant. This results in a chicken that's cooked uniformly; the white meat doesn't dry out, and the dark meat retains its juiciness. You can roast your chicken with the lid off (as detailed in this recipe for crispy roast chicken), but there are a few benefits to baking it covered. Firstly, the tight-fitting lid keeps the heat inside, helping the chicken to cook faster.

Secondly, the natural juices and moisture released by the chicken turn into steam and condense on the lid, ensuring the meat stays succulent. Finally, keeping the lid on gives you more control over the roast and prevents the skin from burning before the chicken is cooked through to the middle. All you need to do is remove the lid and broil the chicken for a few minutes so the skin can develop a golden color and crisp up.

The beauty of a Dutch oven is that it can go from the stovetop straight into the oven. This means you can brown your chicken first on the stovetop in a slick of butter to maximize its savory flavor and lend it some color. While browning the chicken first isn't necessary (especially if you plan on broiling it after with the lid off), this move will give the umami juices that are collected at the base of the pan some rich color and a boost of extra flavor. Of course, just as you'd bake a chicken in a roasting pan, there's plenty of room inside a Dutch oven for nestling in a selection of root veggies, too.

Investing in a Dutch oven makes sense if you make a lot of slow-cooked recipes, such as pot roasts and soups. Branded versions of this celebrated cookware staple, such as those made by Le Creuset, can cost hundreds, but you can find cheaper versions that are equally good. For instance, Costco has an affordable Dutch oven set that's stealing the spotlight with its $69.99 price point. Aldi also carries a cast-iron French oven you'll swear is from Le Creuset due to its rich color and weight.