There are few things more comforting for a dinner than roast chicken – and it really couldn’t be easier to make! To make the ideal version, I do recommend spatchcocking the bird and letting it sit in a dry brine for a period of time, but it is still fundamentally very easy.
This recipe rubs the chicken with fresh rosemary, thyme, sage and a bit of lemon zest. Cooked to a precise temperature, you’re sure to get juicy and delicious results every single time.
This is one of those recipes that’s just as great for company or a special occasion as it is for a weeknight meal. It’s also particularly great smothered in my poultry gravy or even my porcini mushroom gravy.
How to Make Roasted Chicken with Thyme, Rosemary & Sage
As I mentioned already, start at least a few hours before you plan to roast the chicken – the night before or the morning of is ideal – and start to prep your chicken. This simply calls for removing the backbone and seasoning the chicken with a salt mixture.
If removing the backbone sounds intimidating – I promise you that it’s not at all! All you need are some sturdy kitchen sheers or even some sharp scissors – just make sure to wash them thoroughly afterwards.
Flip the chicken so that it’s breast-side down and use the sheers to cut along one side of the backbone, starting at the cavity and stopping once you reach the neck. Repeat along the other side until you’ve cut out the backbone. And that’s it!
I like the save the backbone – I’ll freeze it – to use in stock later.
Flip the chick over so that that breast is facing up and use your sheer to remove the wing tips, as well. I save these along with the backbone. Then, use the heel of your hand to press down on the breastbone to flatten the chicken further.
Now, use your fingers to loosen the skin from the flesh of the chicken and gently glide your hand underneath it. This will aid in the skin drying out and getting crisp when roasting.
Go ahead and thoroughly wash your hands and then, in a small bowl, mix together some salt, pepper and baking soda. The last ingredient aids in the browning of the chicken, ensuring that you get a burnished, golden bird without it overcooking.
Generously season the chicken on all sides. Then, place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and move it, uncovered, to the refrigerator.
You can leave the chicken here for up to 24 hours but it really benefits for however long you can allow it to sit in the dry brine. Try to aim for at least 2 hours if you can.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. In a small bowl, add some finely chopped rosemary, thyme and sage. Also, grate in some lemon zest and a clove of garlic. Whisk all of this together with a bit of neutral oil in order to make a paste.
Using your hands, evenly spread the herb paste under the skin and directly on the flesh of the chicken. It’s better to get it under the skin of the chicken as it prevents the herbs and garlic from burning while you’re roasting the chicken.
Once you’re done with this, use a pastry brush to brush the skin of the chicken with a little bit more neutral oil.
Then, move the chicken to the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the chicken registers at 75°C/165°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
The general time it takes to cook will depend on the size of your chicken, but expect it to take about 40-50 minutes.
I highly recommend using a thermometer to gauge doneness rather than any visual indicators as you’re going to get far more consistent results.
Once it’s done, remove your bird from the oven and allow it to rest (uncovered) for at least 15 minutes before carving. Don’t worry about it losing heat during this time – even uncovered. It will still be very hot when you go to carve it and you don’t want that crispy skin to get soggy!
Serve the chicken with some flavourful gravy and maybe with a side of rustic mashed potatoes, harissa sweet potatoes or roasted broccoli and brussels sprouts.
Roast Chicken with Rosemary & Thyme
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large whole chicken about 1.75-2kg (~4lbs)
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking/bi-carb soda
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic grated or very finely minced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil divided
Instructions
- Using sturdy kitchen sheers, cut along one side of the backbone of the chicken. Repeat on the other side to remove the backbone entirely. Flip the chicken so that the breast is facing up. Use the sheers to remove the wing tips (see note 1).
- Using the heel of your hand, press firmly on the breastbone to flatten the chicken. Use your fingers to loosen the skin from the flesh of the chicken, gently guiding your hand between flesh and the skin, avoiding tearing the skin.
- Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the salt, baking soda and pepper. Sprinkle this over both sides of the chicken until thoroughly coated – you may not use all of the mixture. Arrange the chicken, breast-side up, on the wire rack and refrigerate – uncovered – for at least 2 hours and up to 24 (see note 2).
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon zest, garlic and 1 tbsp of the oil.
- Use your fingers to rub the herb paste underneath the skin of the chicken, being careful not to tear the chicken skin. Brush the skin of the chicken with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil.
- Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast until its deeply golden brown, the skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer registers 75°C/165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast – about 40-50 minutes (see note 3). Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes, uncovered, before carving.
Notes
- Save the backbone and wingtips to make stock – they freeze very well.
- Don’t stress if you don’t budget the time to salt the chicken hours ahead of time – the chicken can benefit from even a short time sitting in the dry brine (even if it’s only while you’re preparing the rest of your ingredients).
- For the best results, rely on the internal temperature of the bird to gauge doneness and not time or other visual indicators.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This roast chicken is a really foolproof method with an iconic blend of sage, rosemary and thyme. It’s simple yet absolutely delicious.
Are you after a great roast chicken recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
