A Chef’s Easy Chicken Recipe

A chef named Alissa loves to cook. She has been a chef for more than 15 years! She likes to teach people how to make yummy food. One of her favorite things to make is roast chicken. Roast chicken is a warm, cozy dinner that families can eat together.

A long time ago, in the winter of 2021, Alissa shared her special recipe. She even updated it again in 2026 so people could keep using it. Her recipe is very easy. It only needs two things: a whole chicken and some salt. That’s it!

The secret to making the chicken juicy and tasty is called brining. Brining means you put salt on the chicken and let it sit in the fridge for one or two days. The salt helps the chicken stay moist when it cooks. Moist means not dry. No one likes dry chicken!

After the chicken sits in the salt, it is time to cook it. You heat the oven very hot. You put the chicken in a special pot called a Dutch oven. The chicken cooks for about 45 to 55 minutes. When it is done, the skin is crispy and brown. The inside is tender and juicy. Tender means soft and easy to eat.

Alissa says this recipe needs a little time to prepare, but it is worth it. The chicken comes out perfect every time. Cooking can be fun. It is nice to make a meal for your family. Maybe you can help a grown-up in the kitchen one day!

Reading Comprehension Questions

What does the chef, Alissa, like to teach people?
A. How to read books.
B. How to make roast chicken.
C. How to play soccer.
D. How to draw pictures.
What are the only two things you need for this recipe?
A. Flour and sugar.
B. A whole chicken and salt.
C. Milk and eggs.
D. Bread and butter.
What is the secret to making the chicken juicy?
A. Putting it in the freezer.
B. Brining it with salt.
C. Cooking it for 5 minutes.
D. Adding lots of water.
Where do you let the chicken sit after you put salt on it?
A. On the table.
B. In the oven.
C. In the fridge.
D. In the sink.
How does the chicken look when it is done cooking?
A. It is white and soft.
B. It is crispy, brown, and juicy.
C. It is blue and cold.
D. It is small and hard.

Vocabulary Words

Chef – A person whose job is to cook food.
Recipe – A set of instructions for how to make a type of food.
Juicy – Full of liquid; not dry.
Oven – A hot box in the kitchen used for baking or roasting food.
Crispy – Having a hard, thin surface that makes a crunching sound when you bite it.