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Roast Chicken

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Roast Chicken

Cuisine:American

Course:Dinner

20m prep 1h cook 2h ready

A classic roast chicken recipe with two methods: high-heat for crispy skin and low-heat for even cooking of larger birds. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and optionally stuffed with herbs, lemon, or stuffing.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • One 3- to 5-pound chicken
  • 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon salt (use the smaller amount for a 3- to 4-pound bird)
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • (6 sprigs parsley, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage, or a combination)
  • (1 small lemon, quartered)
  • 1
    • 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
    • 4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
    • (Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped)
    • ½ cup minced parsley
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    • (2 large eggs, well beaten)
    • 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    • Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toast on a large baking sheet, stirring several times, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes: 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
    2. Transfer to a large bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, if baking in a dish; if stuffing a bird, preheat the oven to the temperature indicated in the recipe. Melt in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides: 4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter
    3. Add and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes: 1 large onion, chopped; 2 celery ribs, finely chopped; (Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped)
    4. Remove from the heat and stir in: ½ cup minced parsley; 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage; 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg; ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
    5. Add to the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Stir in, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together: ½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    6. Adjust the seasonings. If you desire a firm dressing and are baking in a dish, toss with: (2 large eggs, well beaten)
    7. If stuffing poultry, spoon the stuffing into the bird(s). For dressing, transfer to a buttered 13 × 9-inch baking dish and drizzle with: 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    8. For soft dressing, cover the dish with foil. For crispy, browned dressing, leave the dish uncovered and dot with: Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
    9. If the stuffing is in a dish, bake until browned as desired, 30 to 45 minutes. If the stuffing is inside a bird, ensure that the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165°F.
  • One 3- to 8-pound chicken

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • One 3- to 5-pound chicken
  • 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon salt (use the smaller amount for a 3- to 4-pound bird)
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • (6 sprigs parsley, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage, or a combination)
  • (1 small lemon, quartered)
  • 1 (½ recipe Basic Bread Stuffing or Dressing, or ½ recipe Basic Corn Bread Stuffing or Dressing)
  • One 3- to 8-pound chicken

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Remove the neck and giblets from: One 3- to 5-pound chicken

  2. Step 2.

    Spatchcock, if desired. Rub the chicken all over with: 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon salt (use the smaller amount for a 3- to 4-pound bird); ¾ teaspoon black pepper

  3. Step 3.

    If desired, for crispier skin and thorough seasoning, place the chicken on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and let it sit overnight, uncovered, in the refrigerator.

  4. Step 4.

    Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. If desired, place in the body cavity of the chicken: (6 sprigs parsley, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, sage, or a combination); (1 small lemon, quartered)

  5. Step 5.

    Place breast side up on a rack set in a roasting pan or in an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the bird. Roast the chicken until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155°F and the thickest part of the thigh registers 170°F. Begin checking spatchcocked birds after 35 minutes. Smaller whole chickens may take as little as 50 minutes; larger chickens may take up to 1 ½ hours. Transfer to a platter and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

  6. Step 6.

    LOW-HEAT

  7. Step 7.

    4 to 8 servings

  8. Step 8.

    Our preferred method for evenly cooking large chickens (or capons) and stuffed birds.

  9. Step 9.

    If desired, prepare and have hot or at room temperature: (½ recipe Basic Bread Stuffing or Dressing, or ½ recipe Basic Corn Bread Stuffing or Dressing)

  10. Step 10.

    Season and prepare for roasting as for version I: One 3- to 8-pound chicken

  11. Step 11.

    Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  12. Step 12.

    Loosely pack the stuffing, if using, into the body cavity of the chicken. Roast the chicken until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155°F and the thickest part of the thigh registers 170°F, 1 hour to 2 hours 45 minutes depending on the size of the bird. If the bird is stuffed, the internal temperature of the stuffing should reach 165°F. If the chicken is cooked through but the stuffing is not, transfer the stuffing to a baking dish and return to the oven while the chicken rests. Let the chicken rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving. If desired, preheat the broiler while the bird rests and briefly return it to the oven for several minutes to brown the skin (watch it attentively!).

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