Friday, July 15, 2011

Horny Dinosaur Chicken

Okay, here's the rub...literally! lol  Michille and Martin (daughter and son in  law-respectively) bought me a big present.  I opened the wrapping and on the outside it said hornea des asaurus when after turning the box around I figured out it was a beautiful toaster oven...with a rotisserie!  I told Martin, "Oh!  Thank you for the horny dinosaur," and it has been a running joke ever since.  I use the oven mainly for the rotisserie item.  It is so awesome.  It is a GE model and very well made.  After reading the handbook (yes, I read the instruction manuals on things) I learned how to operate my "horny dinosaur" to make the most moist, juicy, tender and flavorful chicken in the world.

When we lived in Belgium (stationed there for 9 years) we went to the weekly markets and they made a very good rotisserie chicken that I wanted to try and do for myself but never had the rotisserie before.  So, alas, my son in law and daughter made it happen.  Anyhow, onto making Horny Dinosaur Chicken.

First assemble all your ingredients.  

You will need a chicken 5 lbs. or under (as stated in the GE manual)
1 TBS poultry seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp season all 
Kitchen String
Kitchen Shears
And um...your rotisserie!
First you make your rub.  There is no particular order, just ensure that all ingredients are there.
Then you rinse your chicken off and take out any packets of internal organs that may be inside.  Pat dry the chicken.
Next you need to rub the "rub" into the inside of the chicken, under the skin and around the chicken skin itself.  Next, tie the chicken legs together and wrap the kitchen string around the chicken ensuring that you have the wings up tight next to the chicken.  If not, they will catch on the rotisserie roof or bottom and it may cause problems with your rotisserie.
Next you need to put the spit through the meat of the bird and attach the "forks" into the meat of the chicken as well.  Make sure the screws are screwed in very well to the spit apparatus.  

Another view.

Next you insert the spit apparatus into the oven.  The pointed end goes into the round opening on the side.  There are two notches on the opposite end with the blunt tip.  The spit sits into the grove with the TINY notch, not the next one over.  Make sure you put it on the right one.
Close the door to the rotisserie after ensuring the drip pan is in place.  Turn the oven on to 400 degrees (book says 450 but I like 400, it doesn't crispyfy (word?) the skin as much.  Leaves it more most.  Turn the second dial to "rotisserie" and the third dial to "stay on".  Then set your kitchen timer.  It takes approximately 30-40 minutes per pound of chicken.  So since my chicken was right at 5 lbs., I cooked it for a little over 2.5 hours.  
I checked on it occasionally and at the 2 hour and 40 minute mark I got the thermometer.  I know it's a little blurry and dark but I couldn't take the flash because you wouldn't be able to see it.  It reads 172.  Perfect!
I took the spit out of the chicken, grabbed my oven mitts, opened the door and took out the chicken on the spit.  I set it aside on the platter, cut the string off and Voila!  

Horny Dinosaur Chicken!  aka Herbed Rotisserie Chicken.  I served it with baked potatoes and a mix of steamed vegetables.  

I sure hope you enjoy this as much as our family does!

*hugz and blessings*
Elizabeth

2 comments:

  1. I'm glad you like your rotisserie! :) I was thinking about getting one for myself now. What do you think about putting a half an onion inside of it for extra juiciness? Would that be too much?

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  2. I hope that you do get one. It is absolutely awesome...and thanks again! I think it would be perfectly fine to add an extra onion inside. I might omit half of the onion powder though so it won't have a totally oniony (word?) taste? It is up to you though. Let me know how it goes!

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