Recipe from Justin Smillie and Kitty Greenwald
Adapted by Julia Moskin
- Total Time
- 40 minutes, plus 2 days' seasoning
- Rating
- 4(146)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This recipe from Justin Smillie, the chef at Upland in New York, is all about layering extra flavors, textures and fragrances onto a basic herb-roasted chicken. It’s perfect for a dinner party: crowd-pleasing, but not at all boring. First you brine the chicken for juicy flesh; then air it out to get crispy skin; then rub it with an herb paste to give it flavor. This takes time — you'll need two days for the brining and drying — but the actual cooking is minimal. Don’t be alarmed by the idea of “thrice” roasting — it’s a basic restaurant technique of searing a protein on top of the stove, cooking it through in the oven, then bringing it back onto the stove for a final basting (with butter, of course). A large, heavy skillet is all you need to pull this off. —Julia Moskin
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 1bay leaf, preferably fresh
- 4fresh thyme or small rosemary sprigs
- 1cup kosher salt
- ¼cup granulated sugar
- 1lemon, thinly sliced
- ¼cup black peppercorns, toasted and roughly crushed
- 3½ to 4pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (use whole breasts or legs, or a combination)
- ½teaspoon toasted black peppercorns
- 1½tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1½teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
- ½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½garlic clove, finely grated
- 2tablespoons anchovy paste
- Olive oil and kosher salt
- 3tablespoons butter
- 1bay leaf
- 3fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs
- 1tablespoon white wine vinegar (optional)
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice, more to taste (optional)
- Salt and ground black pepper
For the Brine
For the Rub
To Finish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
582 calories; 41 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 599 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Brine the chicken: Using your fingers, rub bay leaf and thyme sprigs until fragrant. In a large nonreactive container, combine 1 gallon cold water with the herbs, salt, sugar, lemon and peppercorns. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add chicken, making sure pieces are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
Step
2
Make the rub: Combine peppercorns, parsley and rosemary in a mortar or a small food processor. Crush together until peppercorns are finely ground. Mix in mustard, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, garlic and anchovy paste. Rub should be thick, but not stiff; loosen with a little olive oil if needed. Taste and season with salt if necessary.
Step
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Remove chicken from brine and rinse under cold running water. Thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. Once paper towels come away completely dry, smear the skin with the rub until evenly coated.
Step
4
Place the chicken, skin side up, on a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, or until the rub dries and doesn’t smudge easily when prodded.
Step
5
Cook the chicken: Remove chicken from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Step
6
Slick a large, heavy pan, preferably cast iron, with a thin coating of oil and set over medium heat. When oil is shimmering-hot, lay chicken in pan, skin side down. Press down slightly on the pieces so their skin is in maximum contact with the pan. Raise heat to medium-high and sear chicken for 7 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown. You should hear a steady, loud sizzle, but no popping sounds; reduce heat if needed.
Step
7
Without flipping pieces, transfer pan to oven and roast for 17 minutes, or until breast juices run clear and drumsticks wiggle easily at their joints. When ready, the meat should be about 140 degrees at its thickest part.
Step
8
Finish the chicken: Remove pan from oven and place on stovetop over medium-low heat. Add butter, bay leaf and herb sprigs. As butter begins to foam, tip the pan slightly and baste chicken with butter for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until butter browns.
Step
9
Remove chicken from pan and place pieces, skin side up, on a cooling rack set over a large rimmed baking sheet. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle and skin crisps. The internal temperature should be about 160 degrees. If you'd like, carve the pieces, separating the whole breast into two or four pieces, and separating the thighs from drumsticks. Place chicken on a warmed serving platter.
Step
10
Make vinaigrette, if desired: Pour all the drippings back into the roasting pan. Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour around the chicken. (Alternatively, simply pour the drippings from the cutting board around the pieces.) Serve immediately.
Ratings
4
out of 5
146
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Cooking Notes
Leah
Fortune favors the bold, so we tried this over the weekend and WOW did it ever pan out (pun intended). Don't think I've made a chicken as good as this. Crispy skin, tender meat full of complex flavors--well worth the effort.
A few tips: be careful with the salt, as the anchovy paste has it in spades. It is also excellent with some sauteed mushrooms and shallot, which really bring out the umami flavor. Instead of vinegar for the pan sauce, we used some red wine to deglaze. Fantastic!
Stephanie Mayer
Did you try the recipe? Please don't criticize a recipe until you try it!
I'm betting that if one is pressed for time, one could heat up a grocery store roasted chicken using the final step. Not as good as the real thing but a viable substitute when one has no time.
haames
In corporate food service we often have to streamline in the interest of time. We used boneless, skinless chicken thighs -brined for a few hours, drained, rubbed, grilled, and then finished in the oven. We omitted the butter for folks with dairy issues and also skipped the vinaigrette in favor of the pan juices.
It was truly spectacular.
citizenj
You never know until you try - and try again. I had a similar initial reaction to the Tartine Country Bread recipe but now I've got it down to where it's a very familiar process and it's the best bread I've ever made. Well worth the time. Same thing goes for making your own pasta and for Oaxacan mole.
For an easy chicken dish with some of the same flavors try Marcella Hazan's Fricasseed Chicken Abruzzi-Style from her book "Marcella Cucina."
barefootbob
This was a hit at our house. Definitely takes planning ahead for brining and letting the run soak in. For us, the lemon in the vinaigrette really finishes the dish.
I did it once with potatoes and baby kale salad with orange sections and toasted walnuts. For leftovers, I cooked rice and did a cabbage stir fry with garlic, ginger and scallion. Added a touch of cayenne and soy sauce and rice vinegar.
Rbabecki
Made it to rave reviews. I believe it to be worth the effort.
You should know that the "rub" is quite liquid so the instruction in step 4 "Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, or until the rub dries and doesn’t smudge easily when prodded." required 36 hours. I considered using a hair dryer.
In step 8 after removing from the oven, there was a lot of liquid in the pan. I wish I had reserved it before adding the butter and herbs. I believe the skin would have been much crisper.
Norma Lehmeier Hartie
You will never know. Anchovy is a sly ingredient--try the paste. Promise, you will not taste anchovy.
Peter
Excellent flavors but WAY too salty. I suggest cutting the salt in the brine and brining the chicken whole, then cutting into pieces after rinsing. Definitely add shallots and wine to deglaze.
Britta
Just so salty! I used chicken legs as suggested and brined them for 2 hours over the recommended time (this could have been my mistake). The spices were great though, good enough that I will try this recipe again without the brine.
Leslie, Alexandria VA
Given the many steps in this recipe, I was thrilled it was so delicious. The meat is very moist and the flavor extraordinary. My only complaint is the saltiness from brining and anchovy paste. I did have to cook my chicken longer than 17 minutes in the oven but was expecting this. Definitely a keeper.
Laura MacCaskey
Probably the most delicious chicken recipe I've ever cooked and I've done a bunch of them. Used a whole large fryer and cut it up, using the scraps to make an exceptional stock. I poured the brine water into the large stock pan prior to adding water, which produced a delicious sweet-tart, salty stock. Definitely make the vinaigrette; just adds to that tart punch. 3-days of work, but well worth the effort.
scotch37
great recipe, no problem with salt and mashed up 5 canned anchovies. Only issue was the spice rub kind of burnt into the skin. maybe a little less agressive in the cast iron next time...
Gretchen
1. I plan to make this for Christmas Dinner. My question is step8 continuing to cook on stovetop with butter and herbs. How long? 2 to 3 mins. - just for basting or longer. 2. Is it possible to roast the chicken on top of vegetables for a long amount of time?, then baste? and question 3. how do I cut down on the salt?
Dee Ann
I probably didn't let this dry enough after the brining and before applying the rub. I didn't have any anchovy paste (hate anchovies) so I used Worcestershire sauce, which gave it a great taste but too much liquid - more of a glaze. I let the chicken sit with the sauce/glaze for a day, then cooked it as directed. AMAZING and DELICIOUS. The pan sauce was terrific. Would definitely cook again, next time with anchovy paste and a little more drying time. Didn't find it too salty.
Joni W
Is the sugar necessary for browning or any other reason? I would prefer to avoid it. Guess I could use honey or agave....
D J B
Positives first. It was very moist and flavorful.Negatives: time consuming and too salty.
wendy
We worked on this recipe for 48 hours straight -- the chicken was tender but WAY too salty!!! We need to debrine!! Help.
WAS
This was delicious!! A little complicated due to the stovetop followed by the oven and again on the stovetop but there was ample time to make my side of silky jasmine rice to accompany. My only observation was that the Prince ? Anchovy paste I used was VERY salty. I think next time I may rinse some anchovy filets and then mash them for the paste. It was very well received around the table.
Peter
Excellent flavors but WAY too salty. I suggest cutting the salt in the brine and brining the chicken whole, then cutting into pieces after rinsing. Definitely add shallots and wine to deglaze.
jennifer
Good but a lot of work and watch the salt/anchovy paste.
David Baldwin
I have a question about the chicken breasts shown in the image. They appear to be cut in half, a practical portion size given how large breasts are these days. When does one cut, before or after roasting? If before, how do the smaller pieces affect cooking time? If after, how do you keep them clean and tidy?
Kate NYC
Step 9 indicates you can cut the finished pieces smaller. So after cooking, not before.
Joel
If using a kosher chicken, is the brining not overkill?
haames
In corporate food service we often have to streamline in the interest of time. We used boneless, skinless chicken thighs -brined for a few hours, drained, rubbed, grilled, and then finished in the oven. We omitted the butter for folks with dairy issues and also skipped the vinaigrette in favor of the pan juices.
It was truly spectacular.
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