There’s something truly magical about a perfectly roasted chicken, brought straight from the oven to the table. As a chef with years of experience perfecting this classic, I’m sharing my reliable method: brining for flavor, trussing for even cooking, and high-heat roasting for crispy skin and juicy meat. The key is nailing the brine’s salt-to-water ratio—it infuses the bird with unbeatable taste. Trussing may sound fancy, but it’s straightforward (plenty of quick video tutorials online) and ensures juices circulate evenly. Follow these steps for restaurant-worthy results at home.
Servings: 4-6
1 whole organic chicken (1.5 kg), clarified butter, salt
For the brine:
4 lemons, halved
5 bay leaves
Small handful fresh parsley
Small handful fresh thyme
70 ml runny honey
1 whole bulb of garlic, halved
1 tbsp black peppercorns, white peppercorns
4L water
250g kosher salt
1) Combine all brine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cool slightly, then refrigerate until completely cold. Submerge the chicken and brine for 10 hours in the fridge.
2) Remove chicken from brine and pat thoroughly dry. Truss the chicken (check online videos for easy guides). Place on a rack in the fridge, uncovered, for 2-3 days to air-dry the skin for maximum crispiness.
3) Remove from fridge and let temper for 1 to 1½ hours at room temperature.
4) Preheat oven to 250°C. Brush chicken with clarified butter, sprinkle with fine salt, and place in a cast iron pan. Roast 20-25 minutes, then reduce to 200°C and continue for 35-45 minutes, until breast reaches 67°C at thickest part. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
5) Rest 30 minutes before carving and serving.
