Roast Chicken

A classic roasted whole chicken seasoned with kosher salt and basted with melted butter for a perfectly golden, crispy skin. This method creates a juicy, tender bird that serves as an excellent main course.

4 servings

9 hr 30 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 tablespoon kosher salt
•1 whole chicken
•¼ cup unsalted butter
•melted

Cooking Instructions

1.
Rub or pat salt onto breast, legs, and thighs of chicken. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Set open bag in a large bowl, keeping chicken breast side up. Chill for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
480 min
2.
Arrange a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 500°F. Set a wire rack in a large heavy roasting pan. Remove chicken from bag. Pat dry with paper towels (do not rinse). Place chicken, breast side up, on prepared rack. Loosely tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips under. Brush chicken all over with some of the butter. Pour 1 cup water into pan.
15 min
3.
Roast chicken, brushing with butter after 15 minutes, until skin is light golden brown and taut, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Remove chicken from oven and brush with more butter. Let rest for 15-20 minutes.
30 min
4.
Return chicken to oven; roast, basting with butter every 10 minutes, until skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, 40-45 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve with pan juices.
45 min

Cooking Instructions

Rub or pat salt onto breast, legs, and thighs of chicken. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Set open bag in a large bowl, keeping chicken breast side up. Chill for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

480 min

Arrange a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 500°F. Set a wire rack in a large heavy roasting pan. Remove chicken from bag. Pat dry with paper towels (do not rinse). Place chicken, breast side up, on prepared rack. Loosely tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips under. Brush chicken all over with some of the butter. Pour 1 cup water into pan.

15 min

Roast chicken, brushing with butter after 15 minutes, until skin is light golden brown and taut, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Remove chicken from oven and brush with more butter. Let rest for 15-20 minutes.

30 min

Return chicken to oven; roast, basting with butter every 10 minutes, until skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, 40-45 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve with pan juices.

45 min