The Juicy Details

• A well-roasted chicken will look and smell wonderful when it comes out of the oven, but it's not yet at its very best. If you've ever watched in fascination as a strip of bacon curled on the griddle, you already know that heat causes proteins to contract. When that happens, it's the equivalent of squeezing a sponge. The muscle cells in the chicken contract, and much of the moisture they'd naturally hold is squeezed out. Letting the bird rest for 10 to 15 minutes, or up to 20 for a big roaster, provides time for the proteins to relax a little. When they do, they reabsorb much of the moisture they've lost during the cooking process.

Foiled Again

• Cookbooks and food-related websites often advise tenting the chicken loosely with aluminum foil as it rests. Aluminum foil is a wonderfully versatile substance, used in everything from spacecraft to chewing gum wrappers. In the kitchen, it's prized for its waterproof, non-reactive surface, which acts as both a heat barrier and a moisture barrier. Covering your chicken loosely with foil respects both of those functions. The foil helps prevent the bird from cooling too rapidly, leaving the outside cold before the inside has reached an optimal temperature. However, leaving it loose permits steam to escape without making the crisp skin soggy.

Alternative Techniques

• Although foil is the preferred method for many cooks, it's not the only way to keep your chicken warm as it rests. If you don't have side dishes in your oven, you can leave the door open to bring it down to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or less, then return your chicken to the oven in its roasting pan or on a serving platter. This provides the crispest skin, tor those who embrace that guilty pleasure. A large toaster oven or countertop roaster can serve the same purpose. Alternatively, use parchment paper in place of the foil. It's less effective at retaining heat, so use a double layer.

A Few Pragmatic Observations

• Once you've gotten accustomed to the idea of resting your chicken, you'll come to appreciate that this technique offers a number of practical advantages aside from its culinary correctness. For one, it means you'll have ample time to skim the fat from your drippings and convert them to rich gravy. It also leaves your attention free to set the table, greet guests or bring your side dishes to a peak of perfection before they're served. Further, the resting time allows the chicken's flesh to become firmer and easier to slice cleanly. This is a boon if you plan to carve the bird at the table, giving clean slices rather than the fragile and crumbly portions of a fresh-from-the-oven bird.