I can’t say I make whole roasted chicken all that often, but literally every time I do I ask myself why I don’t do it more! When I was discussing with Chanie what we wanted to do here, we realized that we wanted to take this recipe from the absolutely most basic version to a fully dressed-up version, so choose your own adventure!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).

2. First, we’re going to spatchcock the chicken so it cooks as evenly as possible. Identify the neck; position the chicken on your cutting board with the neck pointing towards you and the chicken legs pointing away from you. Using sharp chicken shears, cut alongside the sides of the neck and spine all the way down until the end of the chicken on both sides. It should feel like it’s a doable task. If you’re struggling, move your scissors slightly to the right or left until you find a spot that’s easier to cut.

3. Once the neck is removed, set it aside (I freeze it and add it to my next batch of chicken stock). Turn the chicken so the legs are now pointed at you. Take a sharp chef’s knife and make a small notch in the middle of the breastbone, so when you lay the chicken bones down it will lie flat. You can also skip making the notch and flip the chicken over, and just press down hard between the chicken breasts to break the breastbone. Either way, flip the chicken so it’s skin side up and lying flat. Pat completely dry, then use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat, which will be extremely helpful in achieving good browning.

4. Salt the chicken all over, including the bone side, then reposition skin side up and roast for 40–50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then carve.

Tips: Ways to Upgrade Your Whole Chicken

1.Allow the chicken to rest in the fridge after salting for one hour or up to eight hours, uncovered. Pat down again before baking.

2.Add herbs, seasonings, and spices to your salt, up to and including:
•1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
•1 teaspoon paprika
•1 teaspoon garlic powder
•1 teaspoon onion powder
•zest of 1 lemon (lemon juice feels like it could be a good idea, I get it, but keep all liquids away from chicken skin if you want it to get crispy.)
•1 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, or parsley

3. Roast the chicken on a bed of vegetables, such as thinly sliced potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, squash, or a bed of citrus fruit, like lemon, oranges, or grapefruits.