Full Chicken Recipe

Prepare a simple brine to keep the chicken juicy: in a large bowl or container stir 8 cups water with 3 tbsp kosher salt and 1½ tbsp sugar until dissolved. Add 1 cup ice to cool the brine.

Submerge the whole chicken in the brine, breast side down. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours (for a 3.5–4 lb chicken; no longer than 4 hours to avoid overly salty meat). If you prefer not to brine, skip to the next section and pat the chicken dry.

After brining, remove the chicken from the brine, discard the brine, and thoroughly pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Allow it to sit uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour if time permits — this helps the skin dry and get crispier when roasted.

Preheat and prep

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Position a rack in the lower-middle of the oven. Arrange a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold the chicken with a shallow layer of aromatics (onion, carrot, celery) to keep the bird elevated and to flavor pan juices.

In a small bowl combine 4 tbsp softened butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic, chopped rosemary and thyme, lemon zest (reserve the quartered lemon for stuffing), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and ½ tsp smoked paprika (if using). Mix to form a spreadable herb butter.

Gently loosen the skin over the chicken breast and thighs by sliding your fingers between skin and meat (start at the cavity opening and work toward the neck). Spread about two-thirds of the herb butter mixture evenly under the skin over the breasts and thighs. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the skin for even browning.

Season the cavity lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper and stuff with the quartered lemon, a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary (if available), and half of the quartered onion.

Truss the chicken by tying the legs together with kitchen twine and tucking the wing tips under the body. Place the chicken breast-side up on the bed of aromatics in the roasting pan. Pour 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock or water into the pan (this will keep drippings from burning and will form the base of a pan sauce).

Place the chicken in the preheated oven and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes to help start browning. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting. Roast approximately 15–20 minutes per pound, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C). For a 3.5–4 lb bird expect total roast time of about 1 hour 10 minutes–1 hour 30 minutes (including the initial high-heat period).

About halfway through roasting, baste the chicken with pan juices using a spoon or baster. If the skin is browning too quickly, loosely tent the chicken with foil for the remaining time.

When the chicken reaches 165°F in the thigh, remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 15–20 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and keeps the meat moist.

While the chicken rests, skim excess fat from the pan juices, then place the roasting pan with aromatics over medium heat on the stovetop (or transfer juices to a small saucepan). Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce slightly for 3–5 minutes. Optionally stir in a pat of butter or a splash of chicken stock to finish the sauce; taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Carve the rested chicken: remove kitchen twine and slice the legs and thighs away, carve breast meat into slices, and serve with the roasted aromatics and pan sauce. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken for garnish.