Using a cooking bag to roast a chicken is a foolproof way to get tender and juicy meat. The oven bag retains the moisture and seals in the flavor of herbs, fruits, or vegetables. The process is simple, and even a novice cook can look like a professional chef by doing a little preparation and following some easy steps.
Preheat oven to a temperature appropriate for the size of the chicken. For example, for a whole chicken between 3 and 4 pounds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place an open oven bag into an appropriately sized roasting pan. Make sure there's enough room around the sides of the pan to remove the chicken.
Prepare the chicken by basting it with butter, oils, and herb blends, or by placing the herbs, fruits, or vegetables under the skin or directly in the cavity of the chicken. If the recipe calls for a bed of vegetables or fruits under the chicken, place these in the oven bag first before prepping the chicken.
Place the prepared chicken into the oven bag, carefully centering the chicken and the bag inside the roasting pan. Finish basting the chicken if the recipe calls for this.
Pull the open ends of the oven bag together and tie the oven bag shut to seal in the chicken. Cut a few tiny slits into the top of the oven bag to ventilate and keep it from popping open in the oven while baking.
Bake the chicken for the length of time appropriate for its weight. For example, a 4-pound chicken should bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. If the chicken is 5 to 7 pounds, it may need to bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and place the roasting pan on a flat surface. Be careful of hot steam when opening the bag.