Best Crisp Roast Chicken Recipes

CRISP-SKIN HIGH-ROAST BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Immerse chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500°.
• Line bottom of broiler pan with foil and spray with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Remove chicken from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Following illustrations 1 through 6, butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone, apply flavored butter (if using), and position chicken on broiler pan rack; thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
• Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Spread potatoes in even layer in foil-lined broiler pan bottom. Place broiler pan rack with chicken on top. Rub chicken with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with pepper.
• Roast chicken until spotty brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to roast until skin has crisped and turned a deep brown and an instant-read internal thermometer registers 160° in thickest part of breast, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to cutting board. With potholders, remove broiler pan rack; soak up excess grease from potatoes with several sheets paper towels. Remove foil liner with potatoes from broiler pan bottom and invert foil and potatoes onto cookie sheet or second cutting board. Carefully peel back foil, using a metal spatula to help scrape potatoes off foil as needed. With additional paper towels, pat off remaining grease.

CRISP ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove giblets from chicken and discard. Place chicken breast-side down on work surface. Use tip of sharp knife to make four 1" incisions along back of chicken. Using fingers or handle of wooden spoon, carefully separate skin from thighs and breast. Using metal skewer, poke 15-20 holes in fat deposits on top of breast halves and thighs. Tuck wing tips underneath chicken.
• Combine salt, baking powder, and pepper in small bowl.
• Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Rub in mixture with hands, coating entire surface evenly. Set chicken, breast side up, in V-rack set on rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered for 12-24 hours.
• Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Using paring knife, poke 20 holes about 1 1/2" apart in 16x12" piece of foil. Place foil loosely in large roasting pan. Flip chicken so breast side faces down, and set V-rack in roasting pan on top of foil. Roast chicken for 25 minutes.
• Remove roasting pan from oven. Using 2 large wads of paper towels, rotate chicken to breast side up. Continue to roast until instant-read thermometer registers 135 degrees, 15-25 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Continue to roast untilskin is golden brown, crisp, and instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 10-20 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest,, uncovered, for 20 minutes. carve and serve immediately.