I've always wanted to make this recipe but was concerned that the potatoes would be greasy. The key is to remove as much fat as you can find in the chicken, and as the recipe directs, pat the roasted potato slices dry with paper towels. I had too many potatoes so I placed the extra slices in a separate pan. The chicken was not salty which was another nice surprise. Since I used a compound butter under the skin (& a tiny bit on the skin) I did not put any olive oil on the chicken.
Crisp-Skin High-Roast Chicken
1 cup kosher salt, for brine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 whole chicken 3-1/2 to 4 pounds, giblets removed and reserved for another use, fat around cavity removed and discarded
Vegetable cooking spray (nonstick)
2-1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/8" to ¼" thick (about 4 or 5 potatoes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (for potatoes)
freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp olive oil
1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Immerse chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned for 1 hour (do not brine for longer or it will be too salty). Remove chicken from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. *Butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Chicken can be prepared up until this point and refrigerated, uncovered. (This will dry out the skin and make it even more crisp when cooked.)
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500°F. Line bottom of broiler pan with foil and spray with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Spread potatoes in even layer in foil-lined broiler pan bottom. Place broiler pan rack with chicken on top. Rub chicken with remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with pepper.
3. Roast chicken until spotty brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to roast until skin has crisped and turned a deep brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in thickest part of breast, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Cover parts with foil if they become too done.
4. Transfer chicken to cutting board. With potholders, remove broiler pan rack; soak up excess grease from potatoes with several sheets paper towels. Remove foil liner with potatoes from broiler pan bottom and invert foil and potatoes onto cookie sheet or second cutting board. Carefully peel back foil, using a metal spatula to help scrape potatoes off foil. With additional paper towels, pat off remaining grease. Cut chicken into serving pieces and serve with potatoes.
*From ATK: Preparing chicken:
Cut through bones on either side of backbone, then remove & discard backbone.
Flip chicken over and use the heel of your hand to flatten breastbone.
If using a compound butter, slip your fingers between skin & breast, loosening the membrane.
Scoop some of the butter onto a spoon, slide it under breast skin & push off with your fingers.
Work butter under skin to cover breast evenly. Repeat with drumsticks and thighs.
Transfer to broiling rack & push legs up to rest between thighs and the breast.
Serves 4
Source: Ripe website recipe (adapted from America’s Test Kitchen recipe)
My compound butter: 3 T butter softened, some fresh thyme, some Italian parsley, a little garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper.
Crisp-Skin High-Roast Chicken
1 cup kosher salt, for brine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 whole chicken 3-1/2 to 4 pounds, giblets removed and reserved for another use, fat around cavity removed and discarded
Vegetable cooking spray (nonstick)
2-1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/8" to ¼" thick (about 4 or 5 potatoes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt (for potatoes)
freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp olive oil
1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Immerse chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned for 1 hour (do not brine for longer or it will be too salty). Remove chicken from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. *Butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Chicken can be prepared up until this point and refrigerated, uncovered. (This will dry out the skin and make it even more crisp when cooked.)
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500°F. Line bottom of broiler pan with foil and spray with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Spread potatoes in even layer in foil-lined broiler pan bottom. Place broiler pan rack with chicken on top. Rub chicken with remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with pepper.
3. Roast chicken until spotty brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to roast until skin has crisped and turned a deep brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in thickest part of breast, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Cover parts with foil if they become too done.
4. Transfer chicken to cutting board. With potholders, remove broiler pan rack; soak up excess grease from potatoes with several sheets paper towels. Remove foil liner with potatoes from broiler pan bottom and invert foil and potatoes onto cookie sheet or second cutting board. Carefully peel back foil, using a metal spatula to help scrape potatoes off foil. With additional paper towels, pat off remaining grease. Cut chicken into serving pieces and serve with potatoes.
*From ATK: Preparing chicken:
Cut through bones on either side of backbone, then remove & discard backbone.
Flip chicken over and use the heel of your hand to flatten breastbone.
If using a compound butter, slip your fingers between skin & breast, loosening the membrane.
Scoop some of the butter onto a spoon, slide it under breast skin & push off with your fingers.
Work butter under skin to cover breast evenly. Repeat with drumsticks and thighs.
Transfer to broiling rack & push legs up to rest between thighs and the breast.
Serves 4
Source: Ripe website recipe (adapted from America’s Test Kitchen recipe)
My compound butter: 3 T butter softened, some fresh thyme, some Italian parsley, a little garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper.
