Classic Baked Chicken

Ingredients

• One 3 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 parts, excluding the back
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock or white wine for the gravy, optional

Directions

1. Cut away any extra fat from the chicken pieces, then blot them well with a paper towel. Season every side with salt and leave the chicken out for 15 to 20 minutes so it loses some of its refrigerator chill. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Blot the chicken dry again, then coat the pieces with olive oil and oil the bottom of the roasting pan as well.
2. Season the chicken all over with black pepper and a bit more salt. Set the pieces in the pan with the skin facing up, placing the largest pieces, the breasts, toward the middle. Leave a little breathing room between pieces rather than packing them in tightly.
3. Roast the chicken, uncovered, for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C), which gives the skin a good head start on browning. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for 10-30 minutes more, until the juices are clear rather than pink when pierced with a sharp knife, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) in the chicken breasts and 170 degrees F (77 degrees C) in the thighs. If the chicken needs more color, slide it under the broiler for the final 5 minutes of cooking, just until it is nicely browned.
4. Take the chicken out of the oven and move it to a serving dish. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
5. For gravy, set the roasting pan, with the drippings still in it, over medium heat on the stovetop. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom with a metal spatula. Once the pan is hot, add some white wine or chicken stock to loosen everything from the pan.
6. Pour the drippings and stock or wine mixture into a saucepan, then cook over medium high heat until it reduces to the thickness you like. For a thicker gravy, stir together a little cornstarch, a teaspoon, with water, 1/4 cup, and add that mixture while the gravy cooks.
7. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or Spanish rice.