The Ultimate Roast Chicken | Crispy Skin + Juicy Meat
We’ve perfected roast chicken: shatteringly crisp skin, juicy tender meat, and flavor that runs deep. Here’s how we do it:
Ingredients
• 1 whole chicken (1.6–1.8 kg / 3.5–4 lb)
• 500 g (1 lb 1.6 oz) water
• 25 g (0.88 oz) kosher salt
Steps
1. Whisk salt into water to make brine.
2. Remove wishbone + cavity fat. Place chicken on a sheet pan.
3. Inject brine under the skin:
• Breasts: 4 injections each (25 ml)
• Thighs: 75 ml from cavity
• Drumsticks: 20 ml from ankle joint
• Wings: 5 ml at drumette + 5 ml at wing flat (≈200 ml will leak)
4. Truss legs, tuck wings. Dry in fridge uncovered on a rack for 3–5 days until skin is leathery and translucent.
5. Roast low + slow: 170°F / 77°C (convection if possible). Cook until breast hits 150°F / 66°C (2.5–3.5 hrs).
6. Rest until breast cools to 100°F / 38°C (about 1.5 hrs). Remove probe.
7. Crisp: Raise oven to 480°F / 249°C (convection) or 570°F / 299°C (standard). Roast 6–10 mins until golden + crispy.
8. Rest 5–10 mins, carve, enjoy immediately.
Key Tips
- Dry brining ensures deep seasoning and helps the skin crisp.
- A lower, steady roast keeps the meat tender and moist.
- Resting before crisping lets juices redistribute, so you don’t lose them at the table.
- Finish at high heat for maximum crunch without drying out the meat.
This method isn’t fast, but it’s foolproof—and once you try it, you’ll never roast chicken any other way.
Get the full recipe and step-by-step process here:
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-roast-chicken