1. Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is one of the most valuable recipes every home cook should master because it is simple, affordable, and highly versatile. With only a few basic ingredients — a whole chicken, oil or butter, salt, pepper, and herbs — you can create a flavorful meal that looks impressive but requires minimal effort. It works equally well for everyday family dinners or special occasions, and the leftovers can easily be used in salads, sandwiches, soups, or wraps, making it a practical and budget-friendly choice for any kitchen.

The key to a perfect roasted chicken lies in proper seasoning, even cooking, and controlling oven temperature. Roasting at high heat helps develop a crispy, golden skin while keeping the meat tender and juicy inside. Learning how to season evenly, position the chicken correctly in the pan, and check doneness builds essential cooking confidence and teaches foundational techniques that apply to many other roasted dishes.

Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Core Techniques: Roasting at high temperature, seasoning, trussing (optional), and checking meat doneness.

Key Equipment: Roasting pan or baking dish, meat thermometer, kitchen twine (optional).

Beginner-Friendly Variations to Try:

• Herb-roasted chicken
• Lemon roast chicken
• Garlic butter roast chicken
• Simple salt-and-pepper roast chicken