- [Narrator] Every good cook should know
how to roast a chicken.
It's an essential skill.
But to a lot of people, it can seem really intimidating.
So we did the dirty work, and spent weeks
testing, roasting, and carving,
and we found the juiciest, crispiest,
most fool-proof roast chicken recipe you'll ever need.
Before we get cooking, we need to talk chickens,
specifically, how to buy the right chicken.
The most important thing to consider is size.
How many pounds per person do you really need?
A good rule of thumb, is that for every one person,
you need about a half pound of chicken.
We'd also recommend getting an air-chilled chicken,
rather than a water-chilled one.
While air-chilled chickens are more expensive,
they aren't packed with extra water,
allowing them to cook more evenly,
and to stay more moist.
Once you have your chicken,
it's time to get it prepped.
But before we do, you don't need to wash your chicken.
This won't rinse away any of the bacteria.
You actually run the risk of contaminating
other parts of your kitchen.
So, let's get down to business.
The number one key to a crispy chicken
is getting it as dry as possible.
Using a paper towel, blot the chicken on all sides,
including the cavity,
until there's no more visible moisture left.
Any excess moisture will prevent the chicken
from getting that crispy, crackly skin.
Once the chicken is dried,
generously season the outside, including the underside,
with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
A lot of recipes use herbs and spices
to season their chickens,
like rosemary, thyme, and sage.
But for our recipe, we're keeping it simple.
Salt and pepper is all you need,
so this next bit may seem a bit unorthodox.
Take any pointy implement, we used a toothpick,
and poke 20 or so holes all over the chicken,
including the legs.
The exact number doesn't really matter.
Just make sure you cover every bit of the surface.
This method lets excess moisture out,
guaranteeing you crisp skin.
Once you're done, transfer it to a rimmed baking dish,
and let the chicken rest in the fridge
for at least eight hours,
to really let the salt work its magic.
This is called a dry brine.
Salt isn't just for seasoning.
This will draw out even more moisture
from the chicken, tenderizing the meat,
and really upping the skin's crisp factor.
We also tried wet-brining our bird,
and while the flavor was great,
the skin didn't get as crispy as our dry brine,
despite it taking even more work.
We also tested stuffing the cavity
with vegetables and aromatics,
but they added excess moisture while roasting,
which prevented the chicken from getting crispy.
Just before you're ready to take it out,
preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Once you take it out of the fridge,
let the chicken rest for an hour at room temperature,
like you would any other meat.
Just before it's time to pop the chicken in the oven,
we're going to tie it up, or truss it.
Trussing your chicken will result
in a more evenly cooked bird.
Take a piece of butcher's twine.
We'd recommend a piece about three feet long.
Loop the twine around the legs, pulling them together,
then slip each piece of twine
under its respective leg.
Pull the twine up to the top of the chicken,
then flip the whole bird over.
Pull the twine under the wings,
looping it around the neck, and then tie it off,
cutting away any excess twine.
Finally, flip the bird back over,
and tuck the wings under the breasts.
There you go!
You're a trussing expert.
Now, a rack is the ideal way to roast a chicken.
It raises the bird from the base of the pan,
allowing excess juices to run off,
and lets the heat fully circulate around the chicken,
once again, ensuring an even cook.
Some people prefer roasting their chicken
with the breasts down.
When we tested this, the meat was super juicy,
but the skin was soggy.
We're roasting ours breast side up.
It gives you that classic roast chicken look,
and you'll have succulent meat, and great skin.
If you don't have a rack, don't worry.
Cover a tray with whichever hearty vegetables you want.
These will act just like the rack,
elevating the chicken from the surface of the tray.
Plus, they'll soak up all the flavorful juices,
and make a really good side dish.
Now you're finally ready to roast your chicken.
I know 450 seems high.
Because the bird is dry-brined,
the meat is going to be exceptionally juicy.
The skin is gonna be perfectly crispy.
However, the right way to determine its doneness is
by taking the temperature.
Stick a meat thermometer
into the thickest part of the chicken.
Once it reads 165, you're good to go.
Once your chicken is done,
let it rest for at least 20 minutes.
To be thorough, we tested roasting the chicken
at a slightly lower temperature for a longer time.
While still good, we found
the lower heat didn't allow the skin
to get as crispy, and the meat started to get dried out.
That's it!
You've roasted a chicken, and it's ready to serve.
Now, we're going to walk you through how to carve a chicken.
It takes some practice, but it's a really useful skill.
But first, a quick anatomy lesson.
There's the keel bone down the middle,
the breasts, drumsticks, and wings.
To start, clip the twine from the legs,
and remove it from the whole bird.
To carve off the leg, cut between it and the breast.
Another good indicator of the chicken's doneness is
if the juices run clear from the cut.
When you reach the joint,
bend it back and cut right through.
To remove the wings, simply twist them right off.
Finally, to remove the breasts,
cut down along the keel bone,
slicing as closely to the bone as you can.
Then, angling your knife outwards, remove the breast.
So you'll have the breast, wing, and leg,
which can be further broken down
into a thigh and drumstick if you want.
Quick pro tip:
if you flip the chicken over,
there are two very flavorful small pieces of meat
on the bottom, called the oysters.
You can use your hands to simply pull them out.
Save these flavorful bits for yourself.
They're a chef's treat.
And there you have it!
You're now a chicken roasting pro.
Impress your friends!
Impress your family!
Or even impress yourself.
Making a roast chicken is neither hard nor complicated.
It just takes time and patience.
If you follow our steps,
we can guarantee this'll be the only roast chicken recipe
you'll ever want to make.
Okay, we've got one more tip.
If you want to reduce waste
and get the most out of your chicken,
don't throw out all the leftover pieces.
Add your leftover chicken to a large pot,
along with onions, celery, carrots, garlic,
and any other aromatics you want,
and then cover it with water.
Bring it to a boil over high heat,
and then reduce it to simmmer for about eight hours,
skimming the fat off as you need.
You'll have homemade chicken stock,
which you can use in so many recipes.
So, Matt said that stock is like bird tea.
- [Man] Basically.
- [Narrator] I mean, he's not wrong.
- Makes sense. - It kind of makes sense.
- [Man] It's kind of scary how much it makes sense.
- [Narrator] It's kind of weird to imagine though.
- [Man] It makes you rethink chicken stock.
- [Narrator] But, bird tea sounds so gross.
- [Man] Like beef stock is just cow tea.
- [Narrator] Ewww!
- [Man] (laughs)
- [Narrator] Fish stock is fish tea?