Roasted Chicken, Perfected

Steps

1. 1

   Remove the chicken from its packaging and use a sharp chef’s knife or kitchen shears to separate each leg and wing section from the body, leaving the breast portion whole. Take care not to cut yourself and reserve or discard the backbone according to your preference.

2. 2

   Season all surfaces of the breast, legs, and wings thoroughly with kosher salt. Arrange the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate, preferably skin side up.

3. 3

   Leave the salted chicken uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour. This allows the seasoning to penetrate and helps the meat cook more evenly.

   Start 1-hour timer
4. 4

   About 15 minutes before roasting, heat the oven to 425°F (220 °C) (220°C (425 °F)). If using convection, preheat the convection oven; the source notes that convection may reduce the roasting time by approximately 5 minutes.

   Start 15-minute timer
5. 5

   Pat every piece of chicken very dry with paper towels, especially the skin. Removing the moisture drawn out by the salt is essential for crisp, deeply browned skin.

6. 6

   Arrange the chicken pieces skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan, spacing them so hot air can circulate around them. Place the breast and leg pieces so they can roast together without overlapping.

7. 7

   Roast until the skin is crisp and golden brown and the meat reaches its target temperature. The breast should register 160°F (71 °C) to 165°F (74 °C) (71°C (160 °F) to 74°C (165 °F)) in the thickest part, while the legs should reach at least 175°F (79 °C) (79°C (174 °F)), with approximately 195°F (91 °C) (91°C (196 °F)) producing especially tender dark meat. The source indicates that the pieces finish together in about 50 minutes.

   Start 50-minute timer
8. 8

   Transfer the roasted chicken to a cutting board or serving platter and let it cool briefly before serving. Serve the breast and dark-meat pieces while the skin remains crisp.