Adapted from Ideals Family Cookbook · Mrs. James Turner
Broiled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 broiler chicken, approximately 1½–2 lb, split lengthwise
- Melted butter, for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Lemon juice, for brushing
Directions
- Preheat the broiler. Split the chicken lengthwise and pat dry.
- Brush with melted butter, and season with salt and pepper.
- Place skin-side down on a broiler pan, approximately 8 inches from the heat.
- Broil slowly, turning every 15 minutes and brushing with butter and lemon juice each time, until nicely browned and the thickest parts reach at least 165°F. The original gives approximately 45–60 minutes.
Cookbook source
“Broiled Chicken,” contributed by Mrs. James Turner to the Ideals Family Cookbook, page 24. The original recommends a broiler chicken weighing one-and-a-half to two pounds, split lengthwise, brushed with melted butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. It is broiled skin-side down eight inches from the heat, turned every fifteen minutes and brushed with butter and lemon juice; original time is 45–60 minutes.
Modern cooking note
Broilers vary substantially in intensity; monitor browning and move the chicken farther from the heat or switch to oven roasting if it darkens too quickly. Chicken must reach at least 165°F at the thickest part. The original begins by rinsing the chicken, but modern food-handling practice is to pat it dry instead to avoid spreading raw poultry juices.