This Crispy Roasted Chicken uses a different cooking method to make this totally delicious dish, juicy and flavorful from the garlic butter sauce.
I love this technique of roasting chicken from Ali at Gimme Some Oven. She roasts the chicken breast side down then finishes it breast side up.
She said she actually got the idea some time ago from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine. For those of you not familiar with this magazine, it really is exceptional. No advertisements. No color photographs. Just great information on cooking techniques.
I’ve been subscribing to this magazine for years and I can’t bear to throw any of their magazines away. There’s just too much valuable information. Like with this Crispy Roasted Chicken.
Ingredients of Crispy Roasted Chicken
- Chicken: The Star of the Show
- Garlic: For meltingly great flavor
- Butter: For richness and to crisp the skin
- Sea salt: Favorite is Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
- Pepper: For spiciness
How to Make Crispy Roasted Chicken
First, adjust your oven rack to the lowest position and preheat it to 450 degrees F.
Next, discard the giblets and rinse the chicken thoroughly inside and out. Then pat it dry with paper towels. This is important because if the skin is wet, the butter won’t stick to it.
Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin on top of the chicken breast as well as the thighs. You’ll want to create a pocket.
Then spread 3/4 of the minced garlic evenly under the skin on the breast and thighs. Add the final 1/4 of the garlic inside the cavity.
Truss the chicken by tying the legs together and tucking the wings under, then brush the chicken all over with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place it breast side down in a roasting pan with a v rack. Let it roast for 30 minutes.
Using several paper towels, turn the chicken breast side up and increase the temperature to 500 degrees. Continue to roast the chicken 20-25 minutes until the chicken is brown, crisp and the internal temperature registers 160 degrees when a temperature probe is inserted between the breast and the leg.
Finally, remove from the oven and let it rest 15-20 minutes before carving.
Notes on Cooking Technique
There’s two schools of thought on washing the chicken. Ina Garten feels it’s unnecessary. Julia Child always washed chicken. I’m with Julia. Especially after dating someone years ago whose father had a chicken farm. He said whatever you do, always wash the chicken. So I err on the side of safety.
Trussing the chicken is important to ensure even cooking. I keep a large spool of string in my kitchen drawer for that purpose alone. I find the easiest method is simply to cross one leg over the other, tie the legs together and finish with a tight bow.
Crispy Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 4 pound Chicken
- 6 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and adjust oven rack to lowest position.
- Discard giblets and thoroughly rinse chicken inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels and place the chicken on a v rack in a roasting pan.
- Using fingers loosen the skin on top of the chicken breast as well as the thighs. Then to the pocket you've created add 3/4 of the minced garlic under the skin evenly over the breast and the thighs. Add the last 1/4 of the garlic to the inside of the cavity.
- Truss the chicken by tying the legs together and tucking the wings under. This helps the chicken to roast evenly.
- Baste the entire chicken on all sides with butter. Then sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the chicken and flip it breast side down on a v rack in a roasting pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
- Using several paper towels turn the chicken breast side up and increase the oven temperature a temperature probe is inserted between the breast and the leg.
- Remove from oven and let it rest 15-20 minutes. The resting time will allow the chicken to continue cooking and will add extra juiciness.
- Carve and serve.
Nutrition
If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below and be sure and pin this on Pinterest!
For Similar Recipes:
Herb Roasted Potatoes (as shown with the photo above)
