A bistro-standard French roast chicken with crisp bronzed skin, succulent meat, and a glossy pan jus.
Ingredients
1600 g whole chicken
2 g fine sea salt (cavity)
12 g fine sea salt (skin)
0.5 g black pepper, freshly ground (cavity)
2.5 g black pepper, freshly ground (skin)
10 ml neutral oil
12 g garlic, lightly crushed
4 g fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf (0.3 g)
120 g yellow onion
100 g carrot
80 g celery
120 ml dry white wine
200 ml unsalted chicken stock
20 g unsalted butter, softened
20 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 g fine sea salt (sauce)
0.2 g black pepper, freshly ground (sauce)
5 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
Steps
Place an oven rack in the middle position.
Preheat the oven to 230°C.
Peel the onion.
Cut the onion into 3 cm chunks.
Peel the carrot.
Cut the carrot into 3 cm pieces.
Cut the celery into 3 cm pieces.
Spread the onion, carrot, and celery in a roasting pan.
Add the bay leaf to the pan.
Remove any giblets from the chicken cavity.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Season the cavity with 2 g salt and 0.5 g pepper.
Place the garlic and thyme inside the cavity.
Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Tuck the wing tips under the breasts.
Rub the skin with 10 ml neutral oil.
Sprinkle 12 g salt evenly over the skin.
Sprinkle 2.5 g pepper evenly over the skin.
Place the chicken breast-side up on the vegetables.
Place the pan in the oven.
Roast for 20 minutes at 230°C.
Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C.
Baste the chicken with pan juices.
Roast for 25 minutes at 190°C.
Baste the chicken with 20 g softened butter.
Roast for 10 to 15 minutes at 190°C.
Check the internal temperature at the breast and thigh.
Transfer the chicken to a warm platter.
Tent the chicken loosely with foil.
Rest the chicken for 15 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf from the pan.
Spoon off and discard 30 ml of fat from the pan.
Place the pan over medium heat.
Add the white wine to the pan.
Scrape the browned bits into the wine with a wooden spoon.
Reduce the wine by half.
Add the chicken stock to the pan.
Simmer until the liquid reduces to about 180 ml.
Whisk in 20 g cold butter.
Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
Season the sauce with 1 g salt and 0.2 g pepper.
Carve the chicken into breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Sprinkle the parsley over the chicken.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Target doneness: Aim for 68–70°C at the breast and 74–76°C at the thigh before resting; carryover heat completes the cook.
Best practices: Dry the skin thoroughly, truss for even cooking, start hot to render and crisp, then lower heat to finish gently, and always rest before carving.
Make-ahead enhancement: Dry-brine the chicken uncovered with 14–16 g salt (total) in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours to improve juiciness and browning.
Pan choices: An ovenproof skillet or a small roasting pan concentrates drippings for a better jus.
Serving ideas: Pair with pommes rôties (potatoes roasted in the chicken fat) or a simple green salad with Dijon vinaigrette.
Cooksmith