Best Salt And Pepper Roast Chicken Recipes

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

Categories easy, weeknight, main course

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

SALT AND PEPPER ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON DRESSING

Salt and Pepper Roast Chicken with Lemon Dressing image

I roast whole chicken using Jacques Pepin's classic method, in a large cast-iron skillet, but a small roasting pan or shallow, wide Dutch oven works as well of course. The chicken should be roasted on its sides primarily to ensure the juiciness of the breast meat and expose the back and dark meat more evenly to the heat of the oven. Lemon sauce or salmoriglio is an ancient Sicilian sauce that can be used as a marinade and/or as a dressing for any protein, chicken, steak or fish, whether roasted or grilled. The root of the sauce's name is salamoia, which means salty brine, so it's perfectly named to serve and pair with this dry-brined simple chicken.

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 3h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

One 3 1/2- to 4-pound whole organic chicken
Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
2 lemons (reserve the zest of 1 and halve both)
About 1 cup EVOO
1 large or 2 medium shallots, peeled and finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, grated or chopped
1/4 cup water
2 full, green stems fresh oregano, leaves stripped and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (half a palm full)
1 cup loosely packed parsley tops, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup once chopped)
Serving suggestion: crusty bread

Steps:

For the salt and pepper roast chicken: Liberally season the chicken inside and out with kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate the chicken uncovered on lowest shelf of fridge in a rimmed pan or dish overnight or up to 24 hours and a minimum of 1 hour.
For the lemon dressing: Heat a medium cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the lemons cut-side down to caramelize them and sweeten juices, about 4 minutes. Remove lemons from the skillet, add 1/4 cup EVOO and reduce heat a bit. Add shallots and garlic and stir 5 to 6 minutes to soften, then add 1/4 cup water and let it absorb. Turn off heat and cool mixture a bit to room temp. Place cooled mixture in a medium glass bowl and add the juice of the lemons, lemon zest, oregano, red pepper flakes and parsley. Whisk in remaining 3/4 cup EVOO to form a thick dressing.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, rack at center. Roast the chicken in the skillet on one side for 20 minutes, then turn to opposite side and roast 20 minutes more. Finally turn the chicken on its back (breast-side up), spoon juices over the skin, and continue to roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees F. Rest bird and carve, then serve with sauce to pass and crusty bread.