Recipe by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.
The best way to roast a chicken
1 whole chicken, spatchcocked
2T salt
1T baking powder
1/2 c mayonnaise
herbs of your choice (see recipe for suggestions)
Optional (for gravy)
olive oil, onion, celery, carrot, back and wings of a rotisserie chicken
Spatchcock a chicken and cover with a mixture of salt and baking powder in a 2 to 1 ratio. Put in fridge and let it cure at least 30 minutes but preferably overnight.
Remove and brush off any excess powder.
With a small knife or skewer, poke several holes in the large fat deposits under the skin.
Mix mayonnaise with herbs of your choosing (I used Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, lemon peel, and garlic powder) then smear all over the top of the chicken.
Roast in a 450F convection oven for 45 minutes to an hour until the breast meat reaches around 150F.
Remove and let rest uncovered for a few moments before carving and serving.
I also took his method of browning the backbone and neck in a bit of olive oil then adding chunked onion, celery, carrot, the herb stems, and the back and wings of a rotisserie chicken I had leftover. Cover with water and simmer while the chicken cooks. Drained the stock and discarded the solids. I added a spoon of chicken bullion paste and seasoned with s&p. Thickened with a potato starch slurry for gravy.
