After Rogers separates her bird’s skin from its flesh, she tucks a couple of herb sprigs into the pockets that are left behind. It’s a trick I’ve done many times in the past. But, after thinking about the Cook's Illustrated Peking duck parallel, I realized that the herbs may be doing double duty: flavoring the chicken while also holding the skin away from the flesh while the bird roasts, thereby providing more space and air, and hence an additional avenue to crispness.
When my bird emerged from the oven, deliciously golden and crisp, I decided to try a second trick from Rogers, who slashes the skin between the thighs and breasts just after removing her bird from the oven, then immediately pours the juices into a bowl. While she doesn’t explicitly explain this step, I’m inclined to believe it’s done to maximize juice capture, which Rogers uses for the bread salad part of her dish. It occurred to me that this slashing also provides a perfect release for the hot steam that otherwise tends to de-crisp the skin of a crackly-skinned chicken as the bird rests. Plus you get those juices, which are fabulous for spooning over the warm chicken and potatoes. Scientifically, I’m not sure I can prove my theory. But taste-wise, I think it holds up pretty well. After resting, is it as crispy as the Cook's Illustrated version? No, but it's pretty damn good for a weeknight roast chicken.
A few other tips for making my Low-Fuss Crispy Roast Chicken (or any crispy roast chicken, for that matter):
Step 1: Buy the right bird
If your market sells chickens labeled “air-chilled,” it’s worth an extra buck or two to spring for one. Using cold air as opposed to water to chill chickens during processing leads to a chicken with no added moisture. Since the less wet your bird is prior to roasting, the more crispy the skin will be, starting out with an air-chilled bird gives you a significant advantage on your crispy-skin journey. (Bonus: You avoid paying for the extra water that is retained during the water-chilling process.)
Alternatively, if your grocer or butcher sells unpackaged chickens from a refrigerated case, these also provide an advantageous edge, as they’ve already been exposed to the same sort of air-dry set-up (minus the salt) that you create using your own fridge when you dry-brine and air-dry at home.
Step 2: Set up a chicken-prep station
To avoid spreading raw chicken juices to all parts of your kitchen—and to avoid having to wash your hands every five minutes—pull out all the tools you'll need ahead of time and create a little workspace. Before you even take your raw chicken out of the fridge, wash and put away any dishes from your sink. Clear off an area on your countertop near the sink, so you easily wash your hands as needed during the prep process, and any raw chicken juices that splash around can be easily cleaned up. Rip off and place a stack of paper towels alongside your cutting board. Measure and/or stir together your seasonings. Set out a small bowl for the neck and giblets you might pull from the bird’s cavity if they’re in there. Cut a piece of twine to tie together the legs. Place an oven thermometer into your oven if you don’t have one there already (an accurate oven temp is particularly important for this recipe). And grab a metal skewer to do your poking. I like to set a dishwasher-safe cutting board into a rimmed baking pan, as I work, to keep things even tidier (this isn’t meant to encourage any fear of working with raw chicken, it’s just my habit).
Step 3: Crank up the heat and pre-heat your skillet
High heat equals a crispy bird. Set your oven to 450°F with the rack in the lower third and preheat your skillet, which helps keep pan contents from sticking.
Step 4: Pat it dry
Drain any liquid from the cavity of the chicken, then go to town with a major pat down. Using paper towels, pat the chicken dry, getting into every nook and cranny of the bird, including under the “armpits” and all around the legs. Ball up a paper towel or two and push it into the cavity, absorbing as much moisture as you can. (I do several rounds of this, leaving the towels inside for a minute or so each time--just be sure to remove them before cooking.) Why is this step so important? Because moisture creates steam, and steam kills crackle.
Step 5: Slip herbs under the skin
Making space for and then slipping herbs under the skin covering the breasts and legs allows for good airflow, enhancing crispiness while flavoring your bird.
Step 6: Salt like you mean it
Using kosher salt or crushed flaky sea salt (like Maldon), season your bird all over—liberally. I go with Judy Rogers’ suggestion, using 3/4 teaspoon salt per pound of meat (that’s 1 tablespoon salt for a 4-pound bird). While seasoning, pay special attention to the thicker sections of the bird rather than the skinny ankles and wings, which crisp easily since there’s not much flesh in their way.
Step 7: Poke the skin and tie the legs
Tiny holes poked in the skin of your bird will give the rendering fat a way to escape, enhancing crispiness. Tying the legs together promotes even cooking.
Step 8: Roast it!
Now’s the time to tackle a load of laundry or just sit back and relax. The bird will take care of itself in the oven. Just keep an eye on it toward the short end of the suggested cook time so you can properly judge doneness.
Step 9: Rest
But first: slash the skin that’s stretched between the thighs and breasts to let excess steam escape, and pour off and reserve the juices.
Step 10: Eat your crispy chicken
And savor every snap.
Low-Fuss Crispy Roast Chicken
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