SALT-AND-PEPPER ROAST CHICKEN

Salt-and-Pepper Roast Chicken image

Calling for just four ingredients - chicken, salt, pepper and whatever herbs you have around - this is a recipe for roast chicken at its simplest and best. The method is fairly straightforward. You season the bird, then roast it at high heat until the skin is bronzed and crisp and the flesh juicy. If you have time to season the chicken ahead, you should; it makes a difference in flavor. And bear in mind, if you have the kind of oven that starts smoking at high heat, you can cook your bird at 400 degrees instead of 450, though you'll need an extra 5 to 20 minutes to get it done.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, patted dry
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
Small bunch mixed herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and sage

Steps:

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If you have time, refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, for an hour, or overnight.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet. Stuff cavity with herbs and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. (If you don't have twine, leave the legs as they are.)
Roast 50 minutes, then baste chicken with pan juices. Continue roasting until chicken's juices run clear when skin is pierced with a knife, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 587, UnsaturatedFat 26 grams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Fat 41 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 51 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 933 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams