Weeknight Roast Chicken

100 Recipes by America's Test Kitchen (#17 p60)

The chicken is roasted on a skillet in a hot oven. By preheating the skillet you jumpstart the cooking of the dark meat to avoid overcooking the white. By using a skillet, you also make it really easy to make a pan sauce afterwards.
For a larger bird, increase the time the oven is on, 35-40 min.
Preheat
  • Oven to 450°, 12 inch skillet on middle rack.
Prep Chicken
Measure into small prep bowl. Your hands will be dirty.
1 T olive oil
Mix in small prep bowl.
1 T kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
  • Place on rimmed baking sheet.
  • Pat dry.
  • Tie legs, tuck wings under back.
  • Drizzle oil and rub all over.
  • Sprinkle salt mixture and rub evenly over bird.
1 3 1/2 - 4 lbs whole chicken
  • Insert meat thermometers into breast and thigh
  • Transfer to (HOT!) skillet.
Roast
  • Roast until breast is 120°, thighs are 135°, 25 - 35 min.
  • Turn oven off, leave door closed.
  • Wait until breast is 160°, thighs 175°, 25 - 35 min.
Finish
  • Remove and rest for 20 min.
  • Make a pan sauce.
Thyme-Sherry Vinegar Pan Sauce (For Chicken)
  • While chicken rests, remove all but 1 T fat from the skillet. (Handle will be HOT!) Leave browned bits and jus.
Sauté over med-high, ~2 min.
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t thyme, chopped
  • Stir in, scrape up brown bits.
  • Simmer until reduced to 3/4 c, ~3 min.
1 c chicken broth
2 t Dijon mustard
  • Off heat, whisk in.
  • Season with pepper.
2 T butter
2 t sherry vinegar
pepper
Tarragon-Lemon Pan Sauce (For Chicken)
  • While chicken rests, remove all but 1 T fat from the skillet. (Handle will be HOT!) Leave browned bits and jus.
Sauté over med-high, ~2 min.
1 shallot, minced
  • Stir in, scrape up brown bits.
  • Simmer until reduced to 3/4 c, ~3 min.
1 c chicken broth
2 t Dijon mustard
  • Off heat, whisk in.
  • Season with pepper.
2 T butter
2 t tarragon, minced
2 t lemon juice
pepper