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Herb Roasted Chicken has perfectly crisped skin and is always juicy and deeply flavorful. Even on the busiest weeks, I still do my best to cook our meals instead of eating out or picking up food to-go. This is almost always part of the plan – it takes 5 minutes of prep and a little bit of forethought.
This Herb Roasted Chicken recipe is an extra-speedy version of the famed Zuni Chicken. (Deb, of Smitten Kitchen, does a lovely job of the full fledged version and you can see the original recipe in the Zuni Cafe Cookbook.) The key elements that I’ve copied are seasoning a day early and allowing the skin to dry out, uncovered in the refrigerator and flipping the chicken as it roasts to evenly crisp the skin. As a bonus, you can open the fridge every so often and crack corny jokes like, “There’s a fowl smell in here.” (I’m looking at you, Gary. 😉 )
What I love about this herb roasted chicken is that we’ll eat on it, in one way or another, for nearly a week. With just two of us, we’ll eat the legs and thighs along with a simple side dish like Twice Baked Potatoes, Mashed Red Potatoes, or Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes with Turkey Gravy (no drippings required!), or Cheesy Potatoes or Skillet Potatoes and a green salad on the first evening. And maybe some (or all) of the crispy skin if no one is looking. Then the breast will last us for two more meals on sandwiches, sliced on salad, tossed into pasta with vegetables or stirred into soup (like Chicken Pot Pie Soup) or chili.
Easy Recipe for Chicken Stock
And I always make stock. It’s the simplest thing and tastes nothing like what you pour from a can or box – so much better! I add the carcass and the contents of the little bag of treasures that I’ve pulled from the chicken before roasting (neck, etc.) to a large pot, cover it with water, then add a quartered onion, a handful of fresh parsley, some chopped celery, several peppercorns and maybe a bay leaf. I let this mixture simmer away for a few hours, until the liquid has reduced by about half and has a rich, golden color. Once it’s cool, I strain it and either use it that week for soup or freeze it in a canning jar.
Natural Truss
You may have noticed what I call the ‘natural truss?’ I don’t always bother to truss, but here’s my preferred method: I make about a 1-inch slice through the skin and flesh of the lower thighs, then press the tip of each leg bone through the slices in a crisscross.
Looking for dinner tonight? Check out this super simple recipe for Crispy Chicken Thighs – they’re delicious, easy and you don’t need to begin the night before! 😉
Serve With
Herb Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 pound whole chicken patted dry
- 2 tablespoons herb salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- The evening before you plan to roast the chicken, place a flat baking or cooling rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place chicken on rack, breast-side up. Sprinkle herb salt all over chicken and lightly rub it into the breast and onto the legs and thighs. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours (this will make the skin extra crispy!)
- One hour before you’re ready to roast the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to bake, place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
- When oven has reached temperature, the cast iron pan will be very hot. Carefully place the chicken, breast-side up into the hot pan. It should really sizzle!
- After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 425°F. Flip chicken so it is back-side up.
- After 20 minutes, flip the chicken once more, so that it’s breast-side up and roast 20 minutes more.
- Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Carve and Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best way to cook chicken! I just imagine a huge table full of people with your chicken in the middle 🙂
Exactly! That is the very BEST way to serve this chicken. 🙂
I love how you trussed your chicken Marissa! My go to in-a-hurry recipe always involves veggies and lentils in some sort of curry – I’m thinking this chicken would be a wonderful accompaniment! Also – thanks so much for the inspiration to make my stock – I don’t beleive I made it to October without making any homemade stock this year!
Yum, curry! I like how you think, Shashi. 🙂
Hi Marissa! Been trying to find you – consulted Kevin today. And, yes, you have bee missed!! Roast chicken is one of my go to meals for busy days or days when my brain has gone into pause mode! I like to put small potatoes around the chicken to roast in the drippings – add some frozen corn and it’s dinner! PS Crispy chicken skin is an appetizer, isn’t it? 🙂
You’re so sweet, Dorothy! My heart skipped a beat when I saw your comment come in – I’ve missed you…Love the idea of having potatoes roast in the drippings. And, yes on the appetizer – one of the best. 🙂
So glad you’re back too! You’ve been missed Marissa. I never knew the air drying technique and am going to try this one out next time, thanks for sharing (and Gary’s joke!).
Thank you so much, Kevin! I predict that you’ll never go back after trying the air drying – it honestly creates the most wonderful crispy skin!
Welcome back girlie! I’ve missed you! No worries, I know how life can just get in the way of things you’d rather be doing. I can’t wait to hear more about this Paris trip! Oh btw, it sounds like Gary and my husband have the same corny sense of humor 😛
I love this super crispy roasted chicken! I can practically see the crispiness! Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the best in life – super juice and incredibly crispy chicken is one of them 🙂
Thank you, sweet friend. 🙂 Gotta love a corny sense of humor, right? And, I agree! So often the best things in life are the simplest.
Thanks for taking a break from your REAL job 🙂
I just love Chicken and this recipe looks great!
I have been experimenting with roasting chicken on the grill. One each beer can (with beer) the can full of rosemary, the chicken in vertical position and the results have been amazing!
The steam from the inside cooks the chicken and the grill gives a great crispy crust. In fact I was going to try your rub (from the previous post) on my next chicken.
Please post your blog site so we can follow along! Safe travels
I can always count on you for something delicious sounding to try! I’ve got to try that! Thank you, Tom. 🙂
Nice to have you back, Marissa! I totally get the day job kicking the blog to the curb. That’s happened to me lately, too 🙁
Really appreciate the chicken-roasting tips! It’s a great reminder how great it is to have a whole chicken to use in recipes all week. I don’t roast a chicken often enough!
Nice to hear I’m not alone. 🙂 Thank you, Helen. xo
There aren’t many things I love more in the fall and winter than a classic roast chicken, there’s just something so comforting about them, right?? Yours looks PERFECT, that skin!
Thank you, Nicole. And, I agree!
Love roasted chicken – this looks delicious, Marissa! Have a great time away in Paris, that is so exciting for you! 😀
Thanks, Jess!
Marissa, another fantastic recipe! Your chicken looks perfect, and the skin…well, let’s just I would definitely be eating all that off the first night! ;p I’ve missed you while you’ve been away, but you always make it worth it when you do post, so that is always appreciated! 🙂 I remember seeing Deb’s post about drying out the chicken and such, and now that you’ve confirmed the method works, I will definitely be trying this. Roast chicken is a favorite because it’s so incredibly yummy, and because like you said, you can pretty much use it for any meal throughout the week….it’s the gift that keeps on giving lol! I am SO excited for your upcoming trip to Paris. I really hope we’ll cross paths there! <3
You always leave the most thoughtful comments, Beeta. Thank you. I really hope we cross paths too! xo
I love zuni chicken! It’s the best way to roast a chicken that I’ve come across and the bread salad is fantastic. Yours looks so delicious Marissa! 😀
Thank you, Lorraine. And, agreed! I love that bread salad too. We took my dad to Zuni Cafe for his 60th and had the real deal – it’s been my favorite roasting method ever since.
Welcome back!!! this chicken looks amazing .. my go-to meals are usually something that includes pasta and veggies for the girls . . a month-long stay in Paris?! so excited for you! I love Paris!
Yes, pasta and veggies are a strong busy-time meal for me too. Never seem to get tired of it! Thank you, Alice.
It’s been a while since I made a whole roast chicken.. you definitely have inspired me Marissa!
So sweet. Thank you, Thalia!
Love the tips Marissa! Will definitely try the recipe this week! I haven’t roasted chicken in a while 🙂 Have a great time in Paris!
Thank you, Mira!
Just read your recipe. Sounds like really great tips for crsipy chicken! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much, Sabrina!