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 perfectly. 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. This recipe starts at 450°F for the first 20 minutes and continues at 400°F for the remaining cook time.
How to know your chicken is cooked
When I first started roasting whole birds, this was the part that intimidated me most. Before you check the temperature, make sure you let your bird rest. Everyone knows this for red meat, but many forget that it applies with chicken, too. After it has rested, check the colour of the juices. Are they running clear? Or slightly pink? Clear means it’s ready to eat, pink means it needs more time. Next, grab your instant-read thermometer. Stick the needle into the innermost part of the thigh, or the thickest part of the breast. If it reads 165°F, it’s ready to eat. But fret not! If it’s not cooked all the way through you can always put it back in the oven. Just pour everyone another glass of their favourite drink and I promise, they won’t mind!
The Juiciest Roast Chicken
4-6
servings1
hourIngredients
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 water
Directions
The day before you plan on roasting, combine lemon, parsley, thyme, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, honey and salt into a large pot. Cover with 4 cups 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 4 cups 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.
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 450°F.
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 all over. Don’t be shy!
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 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 30-40 minutes, or until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted behind the leg reads 165°F.
Remove the chicken and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a large cutting board. Reserve the shallots + their liquids in a small serving dish for the table.
Serve warm with the yummy shallot pan sauce.
Tag me @stefsdinnerdate if you make it! I love seeing your creations <3