There are few things that are as simple and satisfying as a Whole Roasted Chicken. This recipe is inspired by the signature chicken dish by Paul Kahn from The Publican in Chicago. Juicy, lemony chicken with lightly charred and crispy skin served over French fries. The secret to this juicy and flavorful chicken comes from an overnight dry brine, a simple yet flavorful marinade, and roasting with high heat for flavor and color. Carve the chicken and serve directly over my recipe for Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes for your next family meal! (The chicken juices that have dripped over the potatoes really set this whole dish off!)
The original recipe is from the book "Cheers to the Publican, Repast and Present: Recipes and Ramblings from an American Beer Hall" by Paul Kahn, Cosmo Gross, and Rachel Holtzman.
I have made several changes to the original recipe in order to make it slightly more approachable to home cooks. The original recipe calls for completely removing the breast and thigh bones. If you have never butchered a whole chicken before, this can be a bit daunting. Feel free to remove the backbone and leave it at that. The original marinade also uses espelette pepper. This is a ground pepper from France that that has a slightly smokey, sweet flavor with a touch of heat. I have substituted this for regular paprika, smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne to try and mimic these flavor. Espelette pepper can be ordered online; however, I wanted to make a substitute that most people have easier access to yet closely mimics the flavor.
Roasted Chicken Ingredients and Preparation
The key to perfectly juicy and flavorful chicken comes from an overnight dry brine. The night before you plan to cook, take ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat and work it under the skin of the chicken. Place it on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet, then rest it in the fridge, uncovered, overnight. At this point, I like to remove the backbone and either spatchcock the chicken (keeping the breastbone intact) or split the chicken completely in half.
Dry brining is the best method to season an entire cut of meat. Salt penetrates every square inch of the meat and helps add flavor to the whole dish. The salt draws out excess moisture, which in turn dissolves the salt and then re-incorporates the now-salty liquid back into the meat. For more information about the science behind this method, check out this detailed article all about dry brining various cuts of meat from Serious Eats.
The morning after the dry brine, place the chicken in the marinade and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour (up to 12 hours). Remove from the fridge an hour or two prior to cooking to let the chicken warm up slightly. This ensures that everything will cook evenly.
Cooking Method
I chose roasting as the cooking method for this recipe as I felt this was the easiest and most simple approach. The original recipe calls for grilling the chicken, skin side down for several minutes, rotating every couple of minutes as it cooks until done. With roasting, you set the chicken in the pan, throw it into the oven, and let it go. No need to babysit!
With that being said, keep an eye on the chicken towards the end of cooking to make sure the skin doesn't get too burned. You definitely want some char and color, but you don't want the whole thing blackened. Remove the chicken when the internal temperature reads 160-165°F when probed between the thigh and the breast with an instant read thermometer.
Let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes, and carve. Separate the thigh and leg from the breast first, then separate the leg and the thigh. Next, remove the wings from the breasts, and then the breast from the carcass. Slice the breasts across the grain into about ½-inch-thick slices. Be sure to reserve any juice from the chicken while carving. I like to plate the carved chicken over roasted potatoes or fries (I strongly recommend that you do the same - it's absolutely delicious), drizzle with the reserved juices, add a sprinkle of kosher salt, and finish the whole thing off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this with my recipe for Carolina White Barbecue Sauce on the side as well. The chicken is great on it's own, but this sauce really does take everything up a notch!
Another awesome side dish to serve with this chicken is my recipe for Carolina Brussels Sprouts. This also uses the Carolina White Barbecue Sauce linked above, so you could really use it for both!
My recipe for Diner Inspired Macaroni and Cheese is another fantastic side dish to pair with this recipe! Go check it out at the link below and let me know what you think.
Did you make this recipe for Whole Roasted Chicken - Publican Style?
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Whole Roasted Chicken - Publican Style
Equipment
- 1 Wire Rack
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 Whole Chicken 5 to 6-pounds, Backbone removed and spatchcocked or halved)
- ¾ Teaspoon Kosher Salt per pound of meat for dry brine Plus more for garnish
- Lemon Wedges For Garnish
- Oregano Finely Minced For Garnish
Marinade
- ½ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice Juice from 1 whole Lemon (About 2 oz.)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Pinch Cayenne
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Oregano Finely Minced, (reduce to 1 tablespoon if using dried)
- 2 Garlic Cloves Rough Chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Dry Brine
- Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken, breast-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove the backbone, working from the tail end and working your way toward the neck.
- Flip the chicken over and press down on the breast bone to flatten. Cut between the breasts of the chicken if halving.
- Use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast, thighs and legs, taking care not to tear the skin. Use ¾ teaspoon of Kosher Salt per pound of meat and rub under the skin directly into the chicken.
- Place chicken on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and let rest overnight, uncovered in the fridge.
Marinade
- The morning after the dry brine, combine oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne, fresh oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Add marinade and chicken to a sealable container. Mix thoroughly until evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Roasting
- Remove the chicken from the fridge at least 1 hour prior to cooking. Preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle position.
- Place marinated chicken skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 35 to 45-minutes until well browned and chicken is cooked through. Meat should read 160°F on an instant read thermometer when probed between the breast and the thigh.
- Remove from oven and loosely cover to let rest for approximately 10 minutes before carving.
Carving and Serving
- Remove the thigh and leg quarters from the breasts, separating between the joints. Reserve any juices from the chicken as you carve.
- Remove the legs from the thighs.
- Remove the wings from the breasts. Use a pairing knife to find the joint and separate.
- Remove the breasts from the carcass by working a sharp knife between the meat and the center breast bone. Slowly work down the breast, almost rolling it off the chicken. Slice the breast across the grain.
- Plate the chicken parts over roasted potatoes or fries (if using). Drizzle the reserved juices directly over the chicken.
- Sprinkle a small amount of kosher salt over the chicken, then add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with minced oregano.
michellegoode50@gmail.com says
This recipe looks so good! Going to try it !