Best-Ever Roast Chicken

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This perfectly crisp and juicy roast chicken is one of many fundamental recipes that chef Hugh Acheson includes in Seed Life Skills, a new home economics program he launched in Athens, Georgia, middle schools. From the chicken, he makes myriad dishes that will help expand anyone’s cooking repertoire. Acheson is chef/partner of the Athens restaurants 5 & 10 and The National; the Atlanta restaurant Empire State South and coffee shop Spiller Park Coffee; and the Savannah restaurant The Florence. Slideshow: More Roast Chicken Recipes

Hugh Acheson

Updated on July 20, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Best-Ever Roast Chicken — Spend your snow day making the best roast chicken of your life. This perfectly crisp and juicy chicken is one of the fundamental recipes you can master. Photo: © John Kernick

Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 45 mins

Yield:

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

One 3 1/2- to 4-pound whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions

Season the chicken inside and out with the salt, then tie the legs together with kitchen string, if desired. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 5 hours or overnight. Let the chicken come to room temperature before roasting.
Preheat the oven to 500°. Put the chicken in a small roasting pan or large skillet. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 162°. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve the chicken and serve.

Originally appeared: March 2017