whole
roast
chicken
ingredients
4-5lb whole chicken
2tbsp olive oil
wet brine:
8c water
1/4c kosher salt
1/4c brown sugar
5 thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
2tsp juniper berries
3tsp whole black peppercorn
1/2 an orange - sliced
dry brine:
2tbsp kosher salt
0.5tsp baking powder
0.5tbsp freshly ground black pepper
yield: 5 servings
active time: 1 hour
passive time: 35 hours
course: main
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a classic roast chicken with tender, flavorful meat and guaranteed crispy skin
process
wet brine:
1. Place your chicken and orange slices in the container you'll use for brining.
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2. Add 2 cups of water and the remaining wet brine ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil just to dissolve the sugar and salt.
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3. Remove from heat and add the remaining 6 cups of water to help cool the brine more quickly.
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4. Once the brine is cooled to room temperature, pour it oven the chicken to fully submerge it. Add more water and use a weight if needed to keep the chicken submerged.
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5. Let the chicken brine in the refrigerator for 24 hours (min. 8, max. 48).
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dry brine:
1. Combine the salt, baking powder, and pepper.
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2. Remove the chicken from the fridge, pat it dry, and evenly coat it with the salt mixture.
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3. Return the chicken to the fridge and let it sit for 8 hours.
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roasting:
1. Preheat oven to 425F.
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2. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30-45 minutes before roasting to bring it to room temperature.
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3. Truss your chicken to promote even cooking - click here to see how.
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4. Pat the chicken very dry, coat it with a light drizzle of olive oil, and roast it on a cast iron skillet for 45 minutes.
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5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue roasting until the internal temperature of the deepest part of the thigh reaches 165F, about 45 minutes longer.
This recipe may seem like it takes a whole lot of time and effort for something as simple as chicken, but trust me when I say it will never result in dry or flavorless meat — and the process is worth it a hundred times over. This is Thanksgiving-level chicken.
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The wet brine is the most important step and is the sole reason the chicken comes out so juicy, tender, and flavorful. Customize the aromatics however you like — add some rosemary, skip the juniper, use lemons instead of oranges, white sugar instead of brown — it’s entirely up to you. However, I’ve found that brown sugar adds a depth of flavor that white sugar just can’t match. The extra molasses gives the chicken a subtle caramel note, and the color it imparts makes the skin just beautiful. The orange complements the brown sugar perfectly, and juniper is simply my favorite aromatic. Call it a bias — I don’t care — I put it in everything.
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The dry brine is what really guarantees the crispiest skin. The baking soda and salt combination works wonders. Salt obviously adds flavor and helps draw out excess moisture, but the baking soda takes it a step further by raising the pH level of the skin. In turn, it draws out moisture just like the salt does and breaks down proteins on the surface, which helps the skin brown quicker and more evenly. It also creates tiny bubbles on the skin’s surface, increasing the surface area and drawing out even more moisture. If you plan to shred this chicken and use it in my chicken salad recipe, or in another dish like soup or a casserole where crispy skin doesn’t really matter, then skip the dry brine altogether. Just don’t forget to season the chicken with salt and pepper after you pat it dry and before you roast it.
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I love roasting a whole chicken because of how economical it feels. I’m eating the thighs as soon as I can, but then I have all that extra meat to use however I want for the rest of the week. Don’t forget to save the bones for stock! You can use my bone broth recipe by just substituting chicken bones for the beef bones and it’ll come out great. If you don’t want to make stock right away, the bones freeze perfectly well. Now you have three or four different dishes coming from one chicken!
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Thank you so much for being here — enjoy!​