Culinary Hotline - Roast Chicken

Chef Clem shares how you can elevate your roast chicken to the next best level!

All recipes by Clement Pedro

Ingredients:

Remove the dry brined chicken from the refrigerator 30 – 45 minutes before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature.
This helps the chicken cook more evenly and prevents the skin from tightening too quickly when it hits the pan.
Preheat the oven to 180.
Heat a heavy ovenproof pan over medium heat and add oil.
Place the chicken skin-side down into the pan, cover with a plate and weigh it down with a foil-wrapped brick to increase contact between the skin and the pan.
Cook until the skin is deeply golden and crips, about 8 – 10 minutes. Remove the brick and plate, turn the chicken over and transfer the pan to the oven.
Roast until the chicken is cooked through approximately 25 – 30 minutes depending on the size.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Once rested, portion the chicken.
Melt the butter and combine with lemon zest and juice.
Toss the warm portioned chicken in the lemon butter just before serving.

Place the rosemary & thyme leaves, black pepper & salt into a pestle and mortar.
Pound until the herbs are broken down and the salt becomes lightly green and aromatic.
This technique draws out the natural oils in the herbs creating a deeply flavoured salt while using herbs that might otherwise go to waste.
Pat the chicken completely dry.
Season evenly all over with the flavoured salt, including the legs and wings and lightly inside the cavity.
Place the chicken on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
The dry brine seasons the chicken throughout while the uncovered refrigeration allows the skin to air-dry resulting in crisp skin when cooked.

Place the pan used to cook the chicken over medium heat, keeping all the browned bits in the base of the pan.
Add the chicken stock and scrape gently to loosen the caramelised residue.
Allow the liquid to reduce slightly until concentrated and aromatic.
Add the lemon juice and freshly cracked black pepper, adjusting to taste.
Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the cold butter, a few cubes at a time, until the sauce emulsifies and becomes glossy.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken or serve alongside.