One chicken, salt, heat, and patience. The dry-brine method that produces bronzed skin and juicy meat — plus a carcass that becomes next week's stock.
1
🍗 whole chicken (1.6 kg) ›
1 head
🧄 garlic ›
halved crosswise
Mise en place
Before you start
Equipment
Roasting pan or ovenproof skillet
Prep checklist
garlic — halved crosswise
The night before (or at least 1 hour ahead): pat the chicken completely dry and salt it all over, including inside the cavity. Refrigerate uncovered.
💡
The dry brine seasons the meat deeply, and the fridge air dries the skin — dry skin is what crisps.
Heat the oven to 220°C. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic, and thyme. Rub the skin with soft butter.
Roast breast-up for 20 minutes at 220°C to kickstart the browning.
Lower to 190°C and roast until the thickest part of the thigh reads 74°C, about 45–55 more minutes.
💡
The thermometer is not cheating; it is the difference between juicy and gambling.
Rest the bird 15 minutes, uncovered, before carving. Pour any resting juices over the sliced meat.
💡
Resting lets the muscle relax and reabsorb its juices. Carve early and they end up on the board instead.
Carve: legs first, then wishbone, then breasts off the bone in whole lobes, sliced crosswise. Save the carcass for stock.
A roast chicken is a curriculum: dry-brining, browning, carryover heat, resting, carving, and stock — six lessons in one bird. Cook it monthly and watch every other roast improve.
Olive oil for butter (crisp skin, different perfume)
Rosemary or sage for thyme
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate meat up to 4 days. The carcass keeps 2 days raw-ish in the fridge, or freeze it for stock day.
Freezing
Pulled meat freezes well for 3 months in its juices. Whole roasted bird: don't.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
White Burgundy or a soft red like Pinot Noir. Roast chicken flatters almost anything.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Crusty bread or buttered rice
·
Roasted seasonal vegetables
Garnish
Fresh herbs added off the heat
Where it comes from
A little history
The French say you judge a cook by their roast chicken. Poulet rôti has been the Sunday centerpiece from Lyon's bouchons to farmhouse kitchens for centuries.
Keep exploring
Related recipes
Tomato & Basil Pasta
Italian · Dinner
Weekend Shakshuka
Middle Eastern · Breakfast
Garlic Butter Salmon
Modern · Dinner