To cook the chicken before they arrive

[spanieleyes22]

So I have people coming on sat. How long can chicken sit out "on the side". Can I cook it before they arrive and then just leave it cooking and serve lukewarm. I am short of oven space . Have to do some chips for the kids so I could do those when they are here . Not sure whether to do boiled new potatoes or potatoes roasted in the oven. Wwyd. Any other suggestions for cheap things I can put with it

If you cover it up with alufoil then it will be still warm for about an hour.

Hi I do this with turkey at Christmas, cook it on Christmas Eve, slice it and then reheat it in a tray in the oven with lots of nice gravy to keep it moist. Works a treat and saves stress when you've got loads of guests. No one has ever noticed 😂

I'd do new potatoes as then you don't need the oven for those and as a side do roast med veg (buy the bags of odd shape mixed peppers and some red onions and a few courgettes). Slice up, toss in olive oil, season and cook on baking tray for about 30 mins That will make it less beige.

Who are these people? How many?

They do, they’re just too polite to mention it. Cooked in advance and rested under foil and then a clean tea towel will keep it warm, but the skin won’t be crispy. Left on the side for an hour or so would be fine too. Any longer than an hour or so then I’d say no or just cook it well enough in advance to have totally cold with salad, new potatoes or potato salad.

I'd cook it properly in advance and serve with salads, coleslaw, crusty bread etc. You could also do new potatoes, wedges or jacket potatoes as a side. Onion rings too if you wanted more hot stuff.

I'd either do hot fresh or cold, not lukewarm. If cold, potato salad, coleslaw, baguette. If hot new potatoes and something green.

yeah totally fine, wouldn't even cross my mind not to.

I would happily.

@spanieleyes22 - your other option would be to cook the chips (and roasties if you’re doing them) ahead of time, then cook the chicken to be ready just as the guests arrive, then take it out of the oven, cover with foil and a couple of tea towels and let it rest, whilst the chips and roasties go back in for 15-20 minutes to heat up and crisp up, and you have 20 minutes to do the veg, and top for everyone to get in and get settled at the table with a drink.

This is what we do at Christmas, and it all comes out perfectly.