↑
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • LIFESTYLE
    • Career
    • Home Living
    • Nutrition
    • Pets
    • Pregnancy + Motherhood
    • Skin Care
    • Travel
  • SAFER SKINCARE
  • CONTACT

What Great Grandma Ate

because the food you love should love you back!

Don't miss the latest Recipes, tips and more!

Thanks! Keep an eye on your inbox for updates.

What Great Grandma Ate / Recipes / Main Dishes / Extra Crispy Whole Roast Chicken

Extra Crispy Whole Roast Chicken

Last Updated on November 15, 2019 by Jean Choi 2 Comments

AIP
EF
LC
NF
P
W3
244 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Grab a copy of my cookbook, Korean Paleo: 80 Bold-Flavored, Gluten- and Grain-Free Recipes!

roast chickenSo… there are like, 100 whole roast chicken recipes out there that claim that they are the “best.” So I’m not going to claim that this is THE BEST whole roast chicken recipe, but it’s pretty darn close. I generally judge whole cooked chickens by how crispy the skin is, because let’s face it: it’s the best part! Also, along with the crispy skin, the meat needs to be tender and juicy and definitely not overcooked.

One thing I’ve learned over the years of cooking whole chicken is that in order for all of the meat to be evenly cooked without drying out, it should be evenly spread out on the roasting pan. The solution for this? Spatchcock it!

roast chicken

roast chicken

roast chickenIf you’ve never heard of it before, spatchcocking is a method of flattening out a whole chicken or turkey by cutting out the back bone with kitchen shears, spreading the chicken open, and then pressing it down flat. There are a ton of YouTube videos to figure out how to do this if you’ve never done it or if you need a refresher.

For the extra crispy chicken, you need to make sure the chicken is dry as can be, and not use any fat or oils! I know it’s pretty standard to coat the skin with butter or olive oil, but I’ve found that the meat is plenty tender without it, and this yields in a super crispy, yummy chicken. If you love the butter flavor, you can always use it as a dip or drizzle it after the chicken is done cooking.

Also, if you want your skin to be even crispier, you can let it sit in the refrigerator after salting it uncovered for 12-48 hours. This lets the chicken to dry out even more and yields a seriously delicious crunchy skin. Follow this method, and I promise you’ll love how tasty your chicken turns out!

IMG_6298

roast chicken

roast chicken

Extra Crispy Whole Roast Chicken

Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pasture-raised whole chicken (2-4 lbs)
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (omit for AIP)
  • Herbs of your choice (optional)
  • Starchy vegetables (optional)

Instructions

  • Spatchcock the chicken: Using kitchen shears, cut out the backbone, spread out the chicken, and press down on the breasts with both hands until the chicken flattens out in a single layer. Tuck in the wing tips behind the breasts.
  • Use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry as much as possible.
  • Sprinkle sea salt all over the chicken skin, coating it evenly.
  • Season to taste with pepper, and sprinkle with herbs of your choice. I usually don't add herbs and I find that the chicken is flavorful either way.
  • Optional: place the chicken uncovered in the refrigerator for 12-48 hours if you want extra crispy chicken.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Place the chicken on a roasting rack, and if using, place chopped starchy vegetables (like potatoes, carrots, onions) underneath the chicken on the roasting pan. You don't need to add oils to the vegetables. The delicious chicken fat will drip down and coat them while cooking.
  • Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the meat thermometer reads 150 degrees for the breasts, and 170 for the thighs.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving with roasted vegetables.
What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
 
Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Paleo Extra Crispy Whole Roast Chicken


244 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly

By Jean Choi | July 11, 2016

Comments

  1. J+E | Real Simple Good says

    July 18, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    Love the simplicity of this recipe! The skin looks perfectly crispy, and Justin and I would fight over the drumsticks! Yum!

    Reply
    • Jean Choi says

      July 18, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      The skin is the best part! Lucky for me, my fiancé doesn’t like the skin because he’s insane, so I get it all to myself! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome!

headshot of Jean Choi - blogger of What Great Grandma Ate I’m Jean and I’m a Nutritional Therapist (NTP) living in Southern California with my husband and 2 dog babies. On WGGA, you’ll find simple and easy gluten-, dairy-, and processed sugar-free recipes that focus on quality nutrients, and of course, never sacrifice on taste. I believe that the food you love should love you back, making you feel amazing inside and out. I apologize in advance for my inappropriate jokes and misunderstood sarcasm! More About Jean

Recipe Key

  • 3030 Min or Less
  • AIPAIP
  • EFEgg Free
  • LCLow Carb
  • NFNut Free
  • PPaleo
  • VVegan
  • W3Whole 30

Instant Pot Favorites

The BEST Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Paleo, Whole30) + Stove Top Option

Instant Pot Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Paleo, Whole30)

Paleo Instant Pot Butter Chicken (Whole30, Keto)

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)

Don't miss the latest Recipes, tips and more!

Thanks! Keep an eye on your inbox for updates.

©2022, What Great Grandma Ate. Privacy and Disclosure Policy/ Site by Pixel Me Designs