Oven Roasted Chicken

This chicken is dry brined overnight which makes it more flavorful and gives it a crispier skin. I serve this with my rustic golden mashed potatoes.

Step by step

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 (4 to 5 lb) whole chicken
• 1 Tbs cooking oil

Dry brine

• 2 Tbs salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Vegetables

• 1 onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 lemon

Directions

1. The night before, mix all dry brine ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Remove any giblets and place chicken in roasting pan breast side up. Pat dry.
3. Coat the chicken on all sides with all of the dry brine mixture.
4. Place in refrigerator overnight uncovered.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Cut vegetables into quarters.
7. Fill the cavity of the chicken with vegetables.
8. Drizzle or brush cooking oil on the top side of the chicken.
9. Bake uncovered 1 1/2 to 2 hours; internal temp in breast and thigh should be 165°F.
10. Cover and let rest 15 minutes.

Notes

• Start the night before: The overnight dry brine is what makes this chicken flavorful and crisp-skinned, so plan ahead.
• Pat it dry: Drying the bird well before brining, and leaving it uncovered in the fridge, sets up the crispiest skin.
• Aromatics in the cavity: The quartered onion, celery, and lemon perfume the meat from the inside as it roasts.
• Cook to temperature: Check both the breast and thigh for 165°F; timing shifts with the size of your bird.
• Rest before carving: Cover and rest 15 minutes so the juices redistribute for moist slices.

Why This Works

• Dry brining: The salt draws out surface moisture, then it’s reabsorbed with the seasonings, deeply flavoring the meat and drying the skin for crispness.
• Uncovered in the fridge: Air-drying overnight pulls moisture from the skin so it crisps rather than steams in the oven.
• Aromatics in the cavity: The vegetables and lemon release fragrant steam that gently seasons the chicken from within.
• Resting the bird: A 15-minute rest lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out when you carve.