The Juiciest Roast Chicken
I’m going to warn you: this whole roast chicken recipe takes a bit of time. But it is 100% worth the commitment. The result is some of the juiciest and most flavourful chicken you will ever have! That’s a promise.
This chicken gets double the love by starting its journey in a lemon-honey overnight liquid brine and finishing with a salty herb butter rub. It’s a partnership that produces juicy chicken with crispy, golden skin. Plus, there’s a glorious shallot pan sauce that involves zero whisking or simmering. It’s truly divine!
Ingredients:
1 3-4 lb chicken
2 lemons
5 sprigs parsley
5 sprigs thyme
5 whole garlic cloves
½ tbsp peppercorns
3 bay leaves
¼ cup honey
1 stick softened butter
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I’m using thyme, rosemary and sage)
⅓ cup kosher salt (I’m using Diamond Crystal)
Flaky salt
6 shallots
1 cup chicken broth
Instructions:
Do ahead:
The day before you plan on roasting, combine lemon, parsley, thyme, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, honey and salt into a large pot. Cover with 1 quart of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the honey and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and top with another 1 quart of cold water. Let cool completely before moving onto step #2 (I like to let it cool on the counter for 30 minutes and then in the fridge for an additional 1-1.5 hours).
When the brine is completely chilled, submerge your chicken breast-side down in the pot. Don’t worry if the underside of the bird is not completely covered, the breasts are the most important part! Cover and place in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours. If you need to leave it in the fridge for longer than 24 hours, remove from the brine and transfer to a wire rack-lined baking sheet until you’re ready to roast.
Roasting:
Remove the chicken from the brine and transfer to a wire rack-lined baking sheet. Pat dry using paper towel. The drier the bird, the crispier the skin, so take your time on this step. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450F.
While you wait, make your butter rub. In a small bowl combine softened butter, chopped herbs and a pinch of flaky salt. Set aside.
Next, peel and cut your shallots into quarters. Toss them in a 10” cast iron skillet and set aside.
When the oven is warm and the chicken has lost its chill, rub the salty herb butter on the bird. Get under the skin, behind the legs and alllll over. Don’t be shy (or conservative!)
Place the chicken on the shallots in the cast iron skillet and transfer it to the oven. Position the bird so the legs are pointing toward the back corner of the oven. This is where the most heat tends to be, so your legs will cook faster, allowing the breasts to stay juicy.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown and the shallots begin to char and caramelize. Remove and add chicken broth to the pan. Lower the temperature to 400F and place the bird back in the oven, this time rotating the legs to face the opposite back corner. Let cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted behind the leg reads 165F.
Remove the chicken and cover the pan in foil. Let rest for 10 minutes. Uncover and transfer to a large cutting board. Reserve the shallots + their liquids in a small serving dish for the table.
Serve with pear + blue cheese salad, or glazed brussel sprouts with bacon.
Tag me if you make it @stefsdinnerdate <3