Classic Roast Chicken

There is truly nothing better than roast chicken. I could eat a roast chicken daily, and probably have roasted hundreds in my life. In this post I will be going over essential tips for the perfect roast chicken!

Selecting the Chicken:

It is best to choose a bird between 3-4 lbs. These tend to have the best flavor. I also like to choose free range organic birds. They have better flavors, and have also lived better lives, which for me, is important.

Preparing the Chicken:

It is important to make sure your chicken is very dry before roasting. Dry skin = golden and crispy skin. The best way to do this is by removing it from the packaging, patting with a paper towel, and salting the day before roasting. You then let it sit in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. This is great for golden skin, and better flavor. Day of, stuff the bird with aromatics, and truss it. Check out my trussing video here.

Key Steps to Roasting:

• Place on a roasting rack or food items that have it raised so air can move under the chicken. This allows it to roast and not steam.
• Start at a higher temperature to achieve golden brown skin, then drop to a lower temperature to cook the rest of the way.
• Baste in oil or butter for more golden skin.
• Remove once the internal temperature of the thighs reach 175*F and the breast reaches 155*F.
• Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb chicken
• salt and white pepper
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 onions, quartered
• 2 heads of garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter

Preparation:

STEP 1.

Salt the chicken the day prior to cooking, and sit in the fridge uncovered to allow the skin to dry out.

STEP 2.

Preheat the oven to 425*F.

Prep the chicken by stuffing it with 1 sprig of rosemary, thyme, 1/2 lemon and 1 quarter of an onion. Truss so it is tight.

STEP 3.

Line a cast iron skillet with the remainder of the onions, garlic and rosemary, and top with the chicken. Alternatively, you can place on a roasting rack over a sheet tray. Brush with olive oil or butter and place in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove and baste again with olive oil or butter and return for another 20 minutes. Remove and drop the temperature to 325*F. Baste one last time with butter or oil and return to the oven. Remove the chicken once the internal temperature reaches 175*F in the thighs, and 155*F in the breast, this takes around 20-35 more minutes.

STEP 4.

Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes. Carve and serve!