More than the sum of its juicy meat and crispy skin, a good roast chicken is all about those luscious pan juices. Whether you choose to roast the bird yourself or pick up a grocery store’s rotisserie chicken, these juices—golden, sticky, salty—inspire sauces, soups, and rice bowls, and provide an excuse to mop your plate with a hunk of sourdough bread.
As we march into spring, I cherish unfussy recipes that look after themselves. As the ingredients work their magic in the oven, I can focus on the changing seasons—cleaning, organizing, and eventually prepping the garden. It makes sense to roast two birds at once. The first for dinner and lunch the next day; the second to use for three or more entirely different meals down the road.
