The Biggest Foil Mistake You're Making When Roasting A Chicken

There's little better than a good Sunday roast that features chicken as the main dish. Everyone gets a chance to have their favorite piece, whether it's a leg, wing, breast, or thigh. However, no matter which piece you're enjoying, at the very least, you'll want a crispy exterior to bite into before enjoying that tender meat. You may experiment with the settings of your oven or try different oils to coat your chicken with in the hope of getting it nice and crispy. Believe it or not, it's simple to make your chicken come out the way you'd like –- you just need to pay attention to one crucial element.

The biggest mistake you can make when roasting chicken is covering it with foil. When foil is placed over the chicken, the moisture gets trapped inside, which makes the meat juicy but prevents the skin from getting crispy. From now on, if you want crispy skin, don't cover it with foil.

When you place your chicken in a pan or roasting tray, you may be tempted to cover it with foil. However, if your primary concern is making sure the skin is crispy, you'll want to leave it uncovered. While your chicken bakes, caramelization will occur, adding not only a crispy exterior but also a delicious flavor that will take your roast to the next level. You'll notice its flavor becomes a mix of sweet and savory, a perfect combination when enjoying roast chicken. The outside will also brown, reaching a darkened color that will provide a beautiful aesthetic to your chicken.

You'll notice that the chicken itself won't be as juicy. However, it'll remain tender, and with a good rub beforehand, you'll love the flavor of every bite. If you want to have the best of both worlds, crispy and juicy, once your chicken is done baking, spoon some of the pan drippings over your slices of chicken before serving. One thing to keep in mind is that your chicken will take a little less time to cook when uncovered and cooked at a high temperature. However, always check its internal temperature is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the FDA.

Once you've made the adjustment with your foil, there may be some other steps you're overlooking when trying to make your chicken's skin come out crispy. For the most crispy skin and restaurant-quality meat, you can air dry your chicken for up to four hours at room temperature. This is also recommended if you're thawing your chicken. To make sure that your chicken doesn't burn and only roasts until crispy, don't cook your chicken until it's fully thawed. Not only will it cook unevenly, it'll also be blackened on the outside and too rare on the inside. You can also take the time to pat the skin dry before placing it in the oven. Moist skin will result in becoming less crispy.

You should also try using a roasting pan with a rack. The skin on the bottom of the chicken will become more crispy because it's not sitting in juices. It'll also be easier to gather the drippings to pour over your finished chicken when making the meat juicer. You also should make sure the chicken is placed right in the middle of the oven – not on the lowest or highest rack, but in the middle. This will help evenly cook it, and you'll get that crispy skin all the way around. So, there you go, folks. Now you can avoid the pitfalls that usually prevent you from making a crispy roasted chicken.