Perfect Roast Chicken

There's something magical about roast chicken. It's a dish that embodies comfort and sophistication all at once. When done right, it emerges from the oven as the centerpiece of a meal—crisp-skinned, juicy, and fragrant. It's perfect for a dinner party, yet just as suitable for a cozy family dinner. And the best part? The leftovers transform effortlessly into everything from rich stock to hearty chicken salad.

But let's be honest—roasting chicken can be tricky. For years, I chased the perfect roast chicken. I wanted juicy, flavorful meat and gloriously crisp skin, but every method comes with a tradeoff.

American-style roasting delivers crackling, crisp, golden skin, but the hot, dry heat of the oven also dries out the outer layers of meat by the time the thighs are cooked through. 

French-style roasting dishes up tender, evenly-cooked chicken, but the low and slow approach steams the chicken, leaving the skin soggy and sad. 

While working in a kitchen in the Middle East, I learned a technique that changed everything. There, they boil the chicken first, allowing the moist heat to cook the meat while rendering out excess fat from the skin. It's then slathered in salt and spices before going into a hot oven to crisp. 

You get where I'm going with this, but this 2 step technique is a game-changer. Think of it as the perfect hybrid of French and American-style roast chicken. The trick is to partially cook the chicken using the French method. Then, I crank the heat and roast it the American way. The result is a perfectly cooked chicken with insanely juicy breasts and crackling crisp skin. 

The bird roasts atop a medley of hearty vegetables—potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and garlic—soaking up the savory juices while caramelizing to perfection.

It's the best way to roast a chicken, and I will never roast them any other way.