Salt Roast Chicken|Print

Servings: 6

Big (3 ½ lb) chicken

Kosher salt

3-5 tbsps

Big lemon

Butter, cold

2 tbsps

Fresh thyme (leaves only)

1 tsp

Fresh ground black pepper

a pinch

Cayenne

a pinch

Salt Roast Chicken

Prep:

10 m

Cook:

1 h 20 m

Ready in:

1 h 30 m

Remove chicken from fridge an hour before cooking.
Pre-heat oven to 450°F/230C/Gas Mark 8.
Blot out moisture with paper towels. Snip the chicken butt off.
Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with at least 1 tsp of salt. Salt the chicken generously on all sides, into all crevices, bends and curves.
Tie the legs together. Place chicken on its back into a large skillet, tuck its wing tips under and sprinkle the breast with more salt. Use a paper towel to brush the excess salt out of the skillet.
Place the skillet into the oven; roast about 60 minutes or until the chicken reaches the internal temperature of 160. The well-cooked chicken is browned, with dry and crispy skin. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken from the skillet onto a plate. Use a paper towel to blot out almost all the fat from the skillet.
Place the skillet over medium-high heat, add fresh thyme leaves, fry them for 30 seconds. Add the juice of 1 lemon and ¼ cup of chicken broth. Use the wooden spoon to help the liquids deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Bring to simmer and let cook down by half.
Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 tbsps of cold butter and keep it moving in the skillet. When the butter is half-melted, add the chicken juices from the plate where it was resting. Turn off the heat as soon the butter is fully melted.
Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Add a little cayenne, if desired.
Spoon the sauce over served chicken.