Perfect Roast Chicken
Roast chicken seems like a professional and intimidating dish to make, when in reality it couldn’t be easier. Take it from the girl who used to feel dizzy when she’d see a whole, dead chicken in the butcher aisle of the grocery store. If I can make it, you can make it too. And perhaps it will become one of your new signature dishes, like it did for me.
It’s the perfect dish to make for the holiday season, to impress someone special, to try out as a fun weekend baking project, or simply to enjoy by yourself and have lots of yummy leftovers for the rest of the week (it reheats wonderfully).
I break down the steps below to make it as easy as possible. But as always, if you have any doubts, DM me at @vanillabeandiaries on Instagram! And please send me a photo if you do end up making it :)
Xoxo,
Dani
Perfect Roast Chicken
*Serves 5-6
Ingredients
For the chicken:
A 2kg whole chicken, giblets removed & room temperature
5 1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp salted butter, melted
1 cup chicken stock
For the sauce:
1/4 cup salted butter, cold & cut into small cubes
1 shallot, peeled & finely diced
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp finely chopped chives, divided
Instructions
1) The day before: Pat the room temperature chicken dry with paper towels and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Once it’s as dry as you can get it, coat the chicken on all sides with 5 tsp of the salt, making sure to get all the nooks and crannies, including salting the chicken cavity. Place breast side-up on the wire rack and transfer to the fridge uncovered, overnight.
2) The next day: Remove the chicken from the fridge 1 hour before baking it (or 2-3 hours if you live somewhere cold) and let it come to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), with a rack in the lower-middle section so the chicken fits.
3) Once the chicken comes to room temperature, pat it dry with paper towels again. In a medium bowl, mix together the paprika, oregano, garlic powder, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, along with the remaining ¼ tsp salt.
4) Brush the entire chicken with the melted butter, making sure to get both sides. Then, evenly coat the chicken in your seasoning mixture.
5) Place the chicken breast side-up and tie the legs with butcher’s twine (or, a thick strip of foil). Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Place the chicken on a roasting pan –preferably lined with a roasting rack, but you can also make it without one– and add 1 cup of chicken stock to the bottom of the pan.
6) Roast the chicken for 60 to 90 minutes, rotating halfway, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 150°F (66°C).
7) Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a cutting board to rest for 15 to 20 minutes –during this time, it will come up to 165F (74°C). Meanwhile, work on the sauce.
8) Add all the chicken drippings from the roasting pan into a skillet and place over low heat. Add the shallot, Dijon and vinegar and whisk to combine. Then, whisking all the while, add the cold butter cubes a couple at a time, mixing to emulsify the sauce. It should thicken a bit and become glossy as you cook it. Taste and adjust salt and pepper quantities to your liking. Stir in 2 tbsp of the chopped chives, serving the rest for garnishing.
9) After resting, carve the chicken and plate it. Pour the sauce over it and garnish with the remaining 2 tbsp of chives. Serve hot.
Tip: This roast chicken pairs beautifully with buttery mashed potatoes, a risotto (such as a butternut squash one, like in the photos), English roasted potatoes, and even a simple salad.
