“Ain’t nobody here but us chickens”
Somethings just shouldn't be changed and Thomas Keller's roasted chicken is one of those. In his cookbook Bouchon, the simple method of roasting a whole chicken at high heat makes crispy skin with soft interior white flesh melt in your mouth like butter sans the butter. Have your family eat the legs, wings and thighs but save the breasts for your next day chicken salad, you won't have any regrets, I promise. Oh and if your kids say they didn't like it, they lied.
- Recipe credit adapted from Thomas Keller, Bouchon
Whole Roasted Chicken
1 large chicken 4-5 pounds
kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Butter or dijon mustard for serving
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the inners and rinse the chicken. Dry the chicken very well with paper towels inside and out. You want the chicken as dry as possible.
Step 2
Salt and pepper the inside of the bird then truss the chicken. Watch this video if you are unsure how to truss a chicken. Salt and Pepper the outside of the chicken and place breast side up in a cast iron pan. There is quite a bit of salt visible on the chicken so if it doesn't look like enough add a little more.
Step 3
Place in heated oven for about 50 minutes until golden brown and juices coming out. Do not baste or add oil or butter to the pan while roasting. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Step 4
Serve with a dollop of butter on top or dijon mustard on the side.
Tips:
- This is eat with your fingers kind of food!
- Serve with Roasted broccoli and Mashed Potatoes
- This chicken has a tendency to spit grease so it can cause the oven to smoke. You will truly know if your smoke detector is working without a test button.
Enjoy!