Roast Chicken


Roast Chicken

Ingredients

3½-lb. organic, pasture-raised chicken, washed and giblets removed
½ cup kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
1 lb. red roasting potatoes, quartered
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 small Spanish onion, peeled, cored and quartered
1 leek, the rough green ends cut off, submerged in cold water to remove any dirt, then sliced into 1-inch lengths
3 Tbsp. canola, grapeseed or other neutral-flavored oil, plus additional as needed
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
1 sprig fresh sage
5 garlic cloves, smashed, plus 1 sliced


Preparation

1 to 2 days ahead:

• Place the chicken in a large tub, bowl or pan. Fill with cold water until the chicken is completely submerged. Add ½ cup of kosher salt and stir to circulate. Cover and refrigerate.*

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

• Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse and pat completely dry inside the cavity and outside. Do this several times, if needed, to make sure the skin has no excess moisture.

• Combine the potatoes, carrots, onions and leeks in a bowl and add oil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper.

• Add 2 thyme sprigs and 1 rosemary spring, torn into pieces, and 3 smashed garlic cloves over the potato and vegetable mixture. Toss to combine. Spread mixture into the bottom of a roasting pan.

• Once the chicken is completely dry, cut 4 razor-like incisions inside the cavity.

• Heavily season the cavity with salt and pepper, rubbing it into the skin and into the incisions. Add the remaining fresh herbs, rubbing them into the skin and the incisions as well.

• Add 2 smashed garlic cloves into the cavity. Carefully stuff slices of the remaining garlic clove into the incisions until they are fully inserted inside the cavity.

• Cover the outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper, using your hands to rub it into the skin.*

• Truss the chicken: Lay the chicken on a cutting board breast-side up. Tuck the wings under the breast so that they are secure. Take a 3-foot-long piece of kitchen string and place it behind the neck of the chicken. Pull up on the string, so that you plump up the breast. Cross the string under the breast (above the cavity, between the legs). Wrap each end around the nearest leg and tie tightly to bring each end together. Cut any remaining string.

• Make a bed for the chicken in the vegetable and potato mixture. Place the chicken in the pan.

• Roast in the oven for about 1 hour, or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees and the juices run clear. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven off.

• Using tongs and a kitchen mitt, carefully place the chicken on a cutting board.

• Stir the potatoes and vegetables, adding additional oil if needed for browning and adjust seasoning to taste. Place back in the oven (which is no longer on).

• Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then carve.

• Remove the vegetable and potato mixture from the oven, stir, adjust seasoning as needed and serve alongside the chicken.

*Feel free to add any other herbs or flavoring agents of your choice.