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!
Equipment
Here's what you need to make roast chicken at home:
- large pot
- wire rack
- baking sheet
- paper towel
- small bowl
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- 10" cast iron skillet
Note: you can find the full recipe and ingredients list below!
Cooking Tips
- Save time, skip the brine. If this was a perfect world, we would all have enough time to brine a chicken before roasting. But, alas, it is not! And cooking should always be flexible. If you don't have time to brine, do a simple salt rub instead, and let the chicken chill in the fridge for as much time as you have available.
- Let the bird come to room temperature before roasting. As flexible as cooking should be, there are some rules that are a little harder to negotiate. This is one of them. If you want a juicy chicken, the real trick is not overcooking it. And to do that, you need to time the cook as close to perfectly as possible. If the chicken is at room temperature when it enters the oven, this will be easier to do. And the best way to get it to room temperature is by puling it out of the fridge an hour before roasting.
- Playing around... try adding different herbs and spices to the brine and butter rub!
- Serve it with... this pear and blue cheese salad and crispy mini potatoes.
How long should I roast chicken in the oven
This will depend on the weight of your chicken, the temperature of your oven and the method you're using. A good rule of thumb is about 15 minutes per pound of meat at 400°F. As you'll notice in this recipe, I like to start at a higher temperature to promote browning, but do the majority of the cook at a lower temperature, to avoid drying out the bird.
How to know your chicken is cooked
When I first started roasting whole birds, this was the part that intimidated me most. But I promise, it's not that serious! The easiest way to do this is with an instant-read thermometer — insert into the thickest part of the breast, or deep in the meat of the thigh (avoiding the bone), and look for a temperature between 160°F-165°F. Another great sign is the juices — are they running clear? Or slightly pink? Clear means it's ready to eat, pink means it needs more time. And remember, needing more time is not the end of the world, even with hungry guests waiting in the wings! Pour everyone another drink and refill the bread basket, I promise you they won't mind.
When the bird is at a temp you're happy with, let it rest for 20% of the total roasting time. This will allow the juices to lock into the meat instead of running all over the serving tray.
Ingredients
Method
- The day before you plan on roasting, combine 2 lemons, halved, 5 sprigs parsley, 5 sprigs thyme, 5 whole garlic, smashed, ½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, ¼ cup honey and ⅓ cup salt in a large pot. Cover with 4 cups water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, or until the honey and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and top with 4 cups of cold water and several ice cubes. 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 cool, 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.
- 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 30 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine 1 stick softened butter, 2 tablespoon chopped herbs and a generous pinch of salt, set aside. Next, peel and cut your shallots into quarters. transfer shallots to a 10” cast iron skillet and cover with 1 cup white wine, set aside.
- When the oven is warm and the chicken has lost its chill, rub the salty herb butter all over, getting under the skin and behind the legs — don’t be shy! Place the chicken on top of the wine-covered shallots in the skillet and transfer it to the oven. Position the bird so the legs are pointing toward a 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 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown. Lower the temperature to 400°F and return the bird back to the oven, this time rotating the legs to face the opposite back corner. Let cook for another 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear and a thermometer reads 160-165°F.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a large cutting board and carve, reserving the shallot sauce in a small serving dish for the table.
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