ROAST CHICKEN GETS AN UPDATE

Everything bagel seasoning boosts the flavor of comfort cooking Everything bagel roast chicken with new potatoes

Add small new potatoes to the chicken pan partway through the cooking so that they can roll around and absorb the flavorful pan

You’ve heard it before. Roast chicken truly is one of the easiest main courses to cook and the most versatile. You can dress it up or down.

Armed with just the two basic ingredients, chicken and salt, I’ve cooked fryer and roaster birds in ovens big and small, decrepit and new, countertop and mammoth professionals. Before we had kids, I roasted chickens in an ancient gas range in our city apartment during renovations. After a day of hanging drywall and grouting tile, we created a makeshift table from wooden sawhorses and a plank of paneling. Then, we enjoyed a bird coated in curry paste accompanied by a green salad and crusty bread.

When the children were little, we roasted simply seasoned chickens in a trusty almondcolored Sears range for birthday celebrations.

Whole chicken also was the first dish we cooked after moving into our suburban family home. I cooked it in a tired-looking kitchen with an oven prone to losing its door. No matter, the chicken emerged juicy, and the house smelled like home.

Our beautifully renovated kitchen yielded countless chicken dinners with young teens, extended family, friends and, recently, our first grandchild.

This month, we will move from that home of 20 years. I roasted a chicken in the sleek, much-beloved Wolf range as our last meal there — complete with a flavorful coating on the skin and a tray of like-seasoned vegetables. We couldn’t gather the family, but comfort ensued.

My roasting pans already rest in their new cabinet in preparation for our first roast chicken dinner in the wall oven at our new town home. I plan to open the windows to let the aromas escape so our new neighbors get a true sense of our style.

These days, whole chickens can be easier to procure than boneless chicken parts. Adjust the cooking time for the size chicken you can find. A 3-pound bird cooks in 50 to 60 minutes. Larger chickens, closer to 5 pounds need about 1 ¼ hours at 400 degrees. When done, the juices should run clear when you pierce the thigh with the tip of a knife.

All in all, the only real trick to roasting chickens? Heat. For golden skin, turn on the convection setting on the oven, if it’s available. Or, fully heat a conventional oven to 400 degrees. Keep the heat high during the complete

The roast chicken and roast vegetables can be combined for a third dish by tossing them together and serving over egg noodles, with a healthy dose of the pan juices from roasting the bird.

Prep:

Cook:

Makes: 1½ 1½ 3to4 3or4 1. Heat 2. Cut 3. Slice 4. Roast

Nutrition information per serving: cook time.

Chicken roasted plainly with just salt tastes fantastic. For variety, I add herbs and spices. This spring, my fascination with everything bagel seasoning mix — that blend trend that took off in recent years — inspired a coating for chicken and vegetables. A bit of smoked paprika, dried basil and oregano adds color and flavor.

After the chicken is in the oven, I prepare vegetables to roast alongside. In the recipe that follows, I add small new potatoes to the chicken pan part-way through the cooking. That way they can roll around and absorb the flavorful pan juices.

A sheet pan or two of eggplant, zucchini, peppers and onions makes a great accompaniment to the chicken. I make enough for leftovers for another dinner or to serve with eggs for brunch. Season the vegetables with the same blend of spices as you used for the chicken.

The pan juices from the chicken taste amazing. Spoon the mixture over the carved chicken for a rich, but simple topping. I also like to save them to stir into a bowl of hot, cooked egg noodles (or rice) with shreds of the chicken and a heaping spoonful of the roasted vegetables.

Roast chicken. Family comfort for any home.

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook:

Makes: whole chicken, about 5 pounds

Dinner at Home

teaspoons dried basil cup extra-virgin 1¼to1½

handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, or minced chives or a combination

1. Heat

Homemade everything bagel seasoning mix:

ABEL URIBE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE; SHANNON KINSELLA/FOOD STYLING

1 3 1 2 1 ¼ 1 Look for everything bagel seasoning mix in the spice aisle of most grocery stores; see the note below to make your own version. Check chicken cavities to be sure they are empty. If it comes with the neck and gizzards, set them in a deep saucepan of water and simmer an hour or so to make a light broth for another use. Sear the liver in a small skillet with a little oil and butter and serve on a piece of toast for a cook’s treat. tablespoon smoked paprika pounds petite red or small gold potatoes (about 1 ½ inches in diameter)