Herb Roast Chicken
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 17, 2013
Time
2 hours, plus 1 hour marinating
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 2 garlic cloves, mincedSalt and pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 whole chickens (3 ½ to 4 pounds each), giblets discarded1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth ¼ cup white wine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
Before You Begin
For evening cooking, arrange the chickens side by side a few inches apart on the V-rack, with the legs pointing in opposite directions.
Instructions
- MAKE HERB PASTE Process parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in food processor until paste forms. Reserve 1 teaspoon herb past for sauce. Combine 2 tablespoons herb paste with oil in small bowl. Set aside remaining herb paste for under skin.
- PREPARE CHICKEN Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chickens dry with paper towels. Following Step by Step photos 1 and 2, rub remaining herb paste under skin of each chicken, making sure to coat breast, thigh, and leg meat. Rub herb-oil paste over outside of each chicken. Tuck wings behind back, and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Transfer chickens to platter. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
- ROAST CHICKENS Arrange chickens 2 inches apart, breast side down, on V-rack set inside large roasting pan. Roast until thigh meat registers 135 to 140 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove chickens from oven and, using wad of paper towel, flip breast side up (meat that was facing inside should now be facing outside). Pour 1 cup water into roasting pan. Return chickens to oven and roast until thigh meat register 170 to 175 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chickens to carving board and let rest 20 minutes.
- MAKE SAUCE Whisk cornstarch with remaining water in small bowl until no lumps remain. Pour pan juices and any accumulated chicken juices into liquid measuring cup; skim fat. Transfer 1/2 cup defatted pan juices to medium saucepan. Add broth and wine and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and reserved herb paste. Season with salt and pepper. Carve chickens and serve, passing sauce at table.
Time
2 hours, plus 1 hour marinatingYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole chickens (3 ½ to 4 pounds each), giblets discarded
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole chickens (3 ½ to 4 pounds each), giblets discarded
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole chickens (3 ½ to 4 pounds each), giblets discarded
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Merely stuffing our Herb Roast Chicken with herbs delivered zero herb flavor. And herb butter or oil either melted off the chicken or failed to penetrate the meat. Instead, we slathered the chicken with an herb paste. Letting the chicken rest after applying the paste gave it a deep, pronounced herb flavor.
Adding a cup of water to the pan midway through roasting preserved the drippings without causing the bird’s skin to steam. Low-sodium chicken broth, wine, cornstarch, butter, and more herb paste added to the pan created the base for a flavorful sauce.
Before You Begin
For evening cooking, arrange the chickens side by side a few inches apart on the V-rack, with the legs pointing in opposite directions.
Instructions
- MAKE HERB PASTE Process parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in food processor until paste forms. Reserve 1 teaspoon herb past for sauce. Combine 2 tablespoons herb paste with oil in small bowl. Set aside remaining herb paste for under skin.
- PREPARE CHICKEN Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chickens dry with paper towels. Following Step by Step photos 1 and 2, rub remaining herb paste under skin of each chicken, making sure to coat breast, thigh, and leg meat. Rub herb-oil paste over outside of each chicken. Tuck wings behind back, and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Transfer chickens to platter. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
- ROAST CHICKENS Arrange chickens 2 inches apart, breast side down, on V-rack set inside large roasting pan. Roast until thigh meat registers 135 to 140 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove chickens from oven and, using wad of paper towel, flip breast side up (meat that was facing inside should now be facing outside). Pour 1 cup water into roasting pan. Return chickens to oven and roast until thigh meat register 170 to 175 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chickens to carving board and let rest 20 minutes.
- MAKE SAUCE Whisk cornstarch with remaining water in small bowl until no lumps remain. Pour pan juices and any accumulated chicken juices into liquid measuring cup; skim fat. Transfer 1/2 cup defatted pan juices to medium saucepan. Add broth and wine and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and reserved herb paste. Season with salt and pepper. Carve chickens and serve, passing sauce at table.
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