- Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight before cleaning it. If you're in a rush, thaw it in a bowl of cold water, replacing the water every 30 minutes.
- Cut any twine or wire holding the chicken together.
- Remove the giblets and kidneys from the cavity near the tail section of the bird.
- Trim the excess fat around the neck and tail with a knife.
Working with a Whole Chicken
Keep your work area clean. Raw chicken often contains a host of bacteria that can be harmful if ingested. For this reason, it’s a good idea to clear your work area of other exposed ingredients, as well as personal items like your cell phone, in order to prevent cross-contamination. Avoid putting your hands in your mouth or touching nearby objects after handling raw chicken. If you're not careful, you could end up spreading germs all over your home. Don't forget to wipe down any surfaces that you may come into contact with during prep, such as the faucet or drawer pulls.
Cover your work surface with a layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act as a barrier to keep the juices from the chicken from getting all over your countertops or cutting board. You can also use paper towels to gently pat your chicken dry after thawing it.
Allow frozen chicken to thaw. Poultry that’s been stored in the freezer will first need to be thawed to bring it up to room temperature. The best way to do this is to simply stick it in the refrigerator and leave it to sit overnight. If time is of the essence, dunk the (wrapped) chicken into a cold water bath, draining and running fresh water every half hour. It will take about 24 hours for every 5 pounds (2.3 kg) to thaw in the refrigerator, and about 30 minutes per 1 pound (0.45 kg) in a water bath. Make sure you plan accordingly so you can have dinner on the table on time. Always cook chicken immediately after you thaw it.
Remove the chicken from its packaging. Most of the time, whole chickens are sold in sealed plastic bags. Snip the end off the bag with a pair of scissors, then reach in, grab the chicken by the drumsticks, and lift it out. Be sure to hold the bag upright to prevent the collected juices from leaking out all over the place. Discard the chicken packaging right away so that bacteria present don’t have a chance to spread to your surroundings.
Cut away any materials holding the chicken together. Butchers sometimes use twine, wire, or rubber bands to secure poultry in a more compact shape. If the chicken you’re preparing comes trussed, clip the binding with a pair of scissors, being careful not to damage the skin or meat. Make sure you have direct access to the cavity near the tail end. Like the rest of the packaging, these materials should go straight into the trash. Binding is intended to make whole chicken easier to package and roast, but it will just get in your way during the cooking process, and can even interfere with the meat’s ability to heat through evenly.
Trimming the Chicken
Pull out the giblets. Whole chickens sometimes come with their giblets, or internal organs, packaged and stuffed inside. Reach into the cavity near the tail section and feel for a large plastic or butcher paper packet. Remove this packet and set it aside. Give plastic packets a quick rinse before placing them on your work surface. You can use the giblets to prepare stocks, broths, and gravies. Many chefs also enjoy frying them up and serving them on their own for their rich nutritional content. If you’re not interested in saving the giblets, make sure you discard them along with the rest of the packaging.
Remove the kidneys. Now that the giblets are out of the way, examine the inside of the cavity for the kidneys. They’ll look like small, round, dark red or brown protrusions on the backside of the bird just above the tail. To extract them, take hold of them where they connect to the tissue and give them a sharp tug. They should come right out with little resistance. The kidneys are sometimes left intact or passed over when chickens are butchered. This is more common when buying poultry from a farm or organic food market rather than a supermarket chain.
Trim the excess fat and gristle. Fat deposits can most often be found around the neck and tail area. When you come across unwanted tissue, pull it away from the meat with one hand and use a sharp knife to shear it off carefully. Dispose of the fat, or hold onto it and find another use for it. Chicken fat is useful for greasing fry pans and casserole dishes prior to cooking or as a way of imparting some extra flavor to soups, stocks, or stir fries. If you want to save chicken fat for cooking, you'll first need to render it. Once it's been rendered, the fat will be easier to store and can last up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
Getting Your Chicken Ready for the Oven
Refrigerate the chicken uncovered for 1 hour. Place the chicken into a roasting pan and slide it onto the bottom shelf. That way, any juices that happen to escape won’t come into contact with other food. A short rest period will give the chicken a chance to dry thoroughly after thawing, resulting in more evenly-cooked meat with a crispier finish. To make the best use of your time, begin preheating the oven 15-20 minutes before the chicken comes out. If you're short on time, you can just dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels and get right to cooking. Never leave raw chicken sitting at room temperature.
Sanitize your work area. As soon as you’re done handling the chicken, wash all used tools and materials with antibacterial soap and hot water. Next, gather up the paper towels and put them in the trash. Finally, spray the countertop or cutting board with a strong disinfecting solution, let it to sit for a few minutes, and wipe it down. For the sake of you and your loved ones’ health, be vigilant about cleaning any other areas where germs may be lurking, like the area around the sink or trash can. Remove the trash containing the packaging and discarded bits to an outside receptacle. Otherwise, it can quickly begin to stink up your kitchen.
Cook the chicken as desired. Now that it’s clean, it’s ready to be seasoned and roasted. For maximum flavor, stuff the cavity with flavorful aromatics like lemon wedges, a few sprigs of rosemary, or whole garlic cloves. Injecting your favorite brine or marinade under the skin will help make the chicken more tender and juicy, and can be a great way to jazz up a boring bird. Be sure to keep the chicken refrigerated until just before it goes in the oven. To ensure that your home-cooked chicken is safe to eat, make sure you heat it to an internal temperature of at least 165 °F (74 °C).
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