Bring on the Brine

• Brining works for roasting a turkey and it works for roasting chicken pieces, too. Make a salt solution of 1 part salt to 16 parts water. Sweeten the brine and the chicken by adding 1 part sugar to the brine. Herbs you might add include tarragon, chervil, oregano, sage and parsley. Brine the chicken in the refrigerator for overnight up to 24 hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry.

Make the Marinade

• If you've brined the chicken pieces, you don't need to marinate them. Southern cooks have learned that dairy tenderizes. Add minced garlic or garlic powder to yogurt or buttermilk. You could also add other seasonings as well. Marinate the chicken pieces for eight to 24 hours. If you were frying chicken, you'd let some of the marinade drip off and then dip the pieces in bread crumbs. With roasting, however, you want to remove the marinade so the skin will crisp up. Rinse and pat the chicken pieces dry.

Baste that Chicken

• Basting pieces with chicken broth, vegetable juice or wine keeps them moist so it doesn't dry out during roasting. Combine the liquid with butter or olive oil if you like -- 1 part fat to 4 parts liquid works well. Shake before basting to combine the liquid and butter; baste every 15 to 20 minutes. Another option is to smear butter on the meat under the chicken skin; gently lift the skin and slather it on. Don't remove the skin -- it keeps the meat moist and moist meat is tender. Place the chicken pieces on a rack so they aren't sitting directly in the roasting pan. Add water or wine to the roasting pan, just enough so the bottom is covered but it doesn't reach the chicken. Replenish the liquid if it evaporates to keep chicken pieces moist as they roast.

Time it Right

• Slow and low or short and hot are two ways to roast chicken so the meat stays tender. Start the chicken pieces by loosely covering with foil and bakingt at 300 degrees F for 90 minutes. Uncover and roast for an additional 30 minutes at 400 F to crisp up the chicken skin and turn it to a golden brown. The other method is to roast the chicken at 400 F for 30 to 45 minutes. The breasts cook more quickly so check them first for doneness. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the meat, avoiding the bone. When it reaches 165 F the chicken is done. You may have to remove the breasts from the oven before the thighs and drumsticks, otherwise the breasts will overcook and dry out.