Roast Chicken
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Roast Chicken
A whole roast chicken is the easiest impressive dinner you can make. You season it well, start it hot, and let the oven do the work. The result is crisp golden skin and juicy meat with almost no hands-on time. This method roasts a 4 to 5 pound bird in a little over an hour, and the pan drippings make a quick gravy if you want one. Pat the skin dry and salt it ahead for the crispest result.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Directions
- Heat the oven to 425F. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. Dry skin is what crisps.
- Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Rub the softened butter and olive oil over the skin, then season the bird all over, including inside the cavity.
- Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, smashed garlic, and thyme. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under.
- Set the chicken breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 1 hour 15 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F.
- Tent loosely with foil and rest 15 minutes before carving. Resting keeps the juices in the meat.
- Carve and serve with the pan juices spooned over the top.
Tips and variations
- Salt the bird and leave it uncovered in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, for the crispest skin.
- Always pull the chicken at 165F in the thigh. A thermometer beats any clock or color test.
- Add quartered potatoes, carrots, and onion to the pan to roast in the drippings for a one-pan dinner.
- Save the carcass and freeze it. It makes excellent stock for soup later.
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Common questions
- How long does it take to roast a chicken
- A 4 to 5 pound bird takes about 1 hour 15 minutes at 425F. Roast until the thigh reads 165F rather than going by time alone.
- How do I get crispy skin
- Pat the skin bone dry, rub it with fat, and salt it ahead if you can. Moisture is the enemy of crisp skin.
- Do I need to rest the chicken
- Yes. Rest it 15 minutes under loose foil so the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out when you carve.
- What temperature is chicken done
- 165F in the thickest part of the thigh, measured with an instant-read thermometer away from the bone.
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