Sometimes I can’t even follow my own train of thought. I was buying some butcher's twine at a kitchen supply store because I figured it was time to learn how to truss a chicken. I had skated around the issue for a year or so because Barbara Kafka had told me not to worry about it. She said it was unnecessary and even detrimental to the cooking process. But maybe that was just for her high heat method. Thomas Keller was telling me to truss; I would learn how to truss.
I came upon the Keller’s recipe in My Last Supper, a beauttiful collection of the theoretical last meals of many a famous chef. Of all the food Mr. Keller could have made, he picked a simple roast chicken. Considering how I love my roast chickens, I figured an easy recipe from one of the nation’s most prestigious chefs would be something to try. The bird had to be trussed. That’s why I was buying butcher’s twine.
I was blabbing about Keller and trussing to the person behind the counter at the kitchen supply store when she just turned to me and said, “Did you see the Cook’s Illustrated recipe this month? There is a roast chicken recipe on how to get the best skin.” Well, now... Quicker than I thought possible, I shelved the Keller bird (to hopefully resume later) and dove in to the Cook’s Illustrated to see what they were up to.
It’s so engaging because the biggest problem I have with roasted chickens is the skin. I’ve had fantastic success with numerous methods, but they’ve all centered around the meat. The above mentioned Barbara Kafka’s high-heat method produces a luscious full-flavored bird, Bourdain’s mix of wine and lemons makes hedonistic mess, and Heston Blumenthal’s absurdly low-heat method leaves the meat completely and unbelievably moist. All, however, seemed to fail in the skin department - especially Blumenthal’s.
But here was a recipe that attacked the skin head on, which could hopefully produce a full-flavored bird AND some perfectly crisp skin. Their solution is simple, if a bit odd. They cut slits in the bottom of the bird to allow excess fat to drip off, and loosen the skin to prevent fat from collecting on the top while roasting. But the oddest thing they do is cake the skin in baking powder - along with salt and black pepper - and let it sit for a day. The theory is that the baking powder dries out the skin, making it ready to crisp up in the oven.
My experience with baking powder was essentially zero. I just had to take Cook’s Illustrated on their word and give it a go. I had abandoned Keller awhile back, but in a bit of rash workmanship, I ripped the skin along the breast. Trussing helped keep it from tearing more. But the rest of the recipe is all Cook’s Illustrated, and so they get all the credit for the results.
And what results they are. I knew, thanks to the Zuni Cafe bird, that salting the chicken produces a much more developed taste. But the baking powder works. The skin is paper thin and perfectly crispy, and doesn’t taste a bit off, even if it does have the powder on it. It really is remarkable.
Of course, this all means you have to remember to cover the chicken with salt and baking powder a day in advance, something I’m not quite perfect at doing. But this is worth it, and easily the best skin of any bird I've ever touched. The pictures don't quite do it justice.
Crisp-Skinned Roast Chicken
- 1 chicken
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pat dry the chicken, inside and out.
Cut four slits along the back of the bird.
Carefully loosen the skin from the breasts, thighs, and legs. Tuck the wing tips under the bird.
Truss the chicken if you’d like. There is a great video here.
Mix together the salt, baking powder, and black pepper.
Cover the chicken with the mixture.
Place on a rack in a roasting pan and set in the fridge for one day. Uncovered, of course.
It will look kind of gross after a day. Oh well.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. When the oven is hot, flip the chicken on its breast and roast on a rack in the roasting pan for 25 minutes.
Flip the chicken breast-side up. Roast until temperature hits 135, about 20 minutes.
Crank the heat to 500 degrees. Cook until chicken is 160 degrees, another 10-15 minutes.
Let it rest before carving in. Admire the skin, and try not to eat too much.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Soooo, how bad will this taste if I used baking SODA instead of baking POWDER?
I tried this on wings for superbowl (not the skin loosening or slitting- just the baking powder) to make crispy non-fried buffalo wings- and it worked perfectly. We only let the wings sit in the fridge a few hours, and it did the trick.
Currently watching Diary of a Foodie online and the segment on peking duck is very similar to what i read about your roast chicken this morning…the slicing and separating of skin to meat and drying in refrigerator….
I love your blog and I love this way of crisping the skin. It has always been a problem for me also. I am gonna try this today. Thanks
About those chicken wings that the first poster made. What temp did you cook them on and did you cook them on a rack?
Thanks
OK I made it and the skin was wonderfully crispy, but I couldn't eat it cause it was so salty. I used a TBS of coarse sea salt, which would be less salty then crystals. Do you think it would work with less salt?
Should you avoid basting the bird using this crisp-skin method?
NO_Pam: Sorry it ended up salty. I probably do have an incredibly high salt threshold. The real key to this method is the baking powder, so using moderately less salt is probably not a problem.
John: I did not baste and I don't think you'll need to either. I only baste when I have other vegetables and liquids cooking with the bird. See Bourdain's Dirty Bird post for a good example. This is a dry roast, and there there won't be much to baste with anyway.
I also do not like a salty bird and never brine. Try using this mixture:
2 teaspoons each of garlic salt, cumin,
fresh ground pepper, lemon and pepper seasoning, and paprika (to help color). If find this mixture much less salty and very flavorful.
…forgot about the teaspoon of baking powder.
I always brine birds. Does anyone think that brining AFTER treating he skin with baking powder will defeat the purpose?
If the purpose of the powder is to pull the moisture from the skin, brining may re-hydrate. (??)
I know this says to let the bird sit overnight, but I will never have the luxury of time, so what do u think the minimum time would be if doing parts and not whole birds? Usually legs and thighs.
Phil, you could do a quick brine for a few hours. You just have to make the brine more potent (up the salt and sugar and other goodies).
I've got a Murray's chicken in a quick brine right now and am gonna cook it with Nick's recipe here.
I am intrigued by this technique. I've never had a problem getting crisp, delicious skin — but could it be EVEN MORE crisp and delicious? The possibilities abound.
Phil: I suspect you'd want to brine, then thoroughly dry, then baking powder your chicken. Your combined techniques might be at odds, though — let us know how it goes?
My overwhelming problem? Fridge space. I don't have enough room to let a chicken sit on a cooling rack for a day. But there must be a solution…
I just want to say that this is my “go to” recipe for roast chicken. The first time I did it, I only gave the skin 6 hours or so dry it out and it was awesome. When it was done, I took a fork and tapped it against the skin and heard the sound of perfectly crispy skin. I honestly have never had skin this crispy. I make a wet rub (mustard, white wine, rosemary, sage, thyme, S &P, garlic) and rub it onto the meat underneath the loosened skin. It doesn’t seem to interfere with the crispness of the skin and keeps the chicken moist and flavorful. I also stuff half a lemon and some sprigs of herbs in the cavity as well.
Ok, I saw this one and decided to add it to my toolbox for perfect roast chicken. I combined multiple techniques, as follows:
1. brine: 1 gallon water, 1 c. kosher salt, 3/4 c. brown sugar, dousing of white wine.
2. jammed two 3.5 lb. birds into a large stockpot filled with brine and tossed in meticulously re-arranged fridge for about 2 hours. In hindsight, I think I’d go for 3-4 hours, but then again, I tend to like a bit of saltiness.
3. unearthed birds, rinsed, patted dry
4. followed “skin separating suggestions” given here.
5. massaged a rub consisting of about 1 TBS salted butter, pressed garlic clove, and generous dose of herbs de provence (PER BIRD) onto the little beasts, UNDER the skin.
6. satisfied with my progress, I dusted each bird with baking powder all around, as recommended here.
7. tucked birdies in fridge overnight and slept the sleep of anticipation
8. trundled fowl out of fridge, onto racks suspended about baking dishes and submitted the powdery carcasses to the blaze of the 450 degree oven (akin to stepping outside into one’s garage in these parts).
9. sizzled the little gems 25 minutes breast up; then 20 minutes breast down; then a final 15 minutes or so breast up–450 the whole time, until brown and spittin grease fizzies.
10. realized that fire alarms must need new batteries, as the resultant smoke, with kitchen fan running, bathed home in a fine haze. Note to self: replace batteries, but take down alarms prior to any subsequent ventures in crispy chicken production.
11. pulled pans, let sit about 15 minutes and transferred to platter.
12. scraped out all drippings, added 2 cups of chicken broth and a dollop of corn starch into saucepan. Simmered down to desired consistency–didn’t need a shake of salt–perfect.
SUM: Skin heavenly crisp; flesh moist and flavorful.
All members of family went after the birds viking-style–success.
Dog had kibble with chicken bits and gravy. All happy.
So my friends, yes, you can brine too. Yes, you can bathe flesh in some sort of rub under the skin. Yes, your birdies will have papery crunchy skin. Perhaps I am guilty of gilding the lily, but dang, what a tasty bird!
Wow! I am on the Alli diet what a shame I could not eat the skin. It was so crispy.
Made this last night – just came across the Cooks Illustrated recipe last week and was curious to see other folks’ experience. Hands down, the best roast chicken that ever came out of my oven. Crispy and so juicy I was stunned.
All the rendered fat however caused my smoke detector to go off. I placed punctured foil underneath the bird as the recipe recommends, and never even bothered cranking it past 450 degrees, but it still smoked up the house. The oven was clean to begin with too, though I noticed allot of splattering after the fact.
I do have a smaller oven compared to the standard. Would appreciate it if anyone has suggestions as I definitely want to make this again!
Thanks!!