Dry-Brined High-Heat Roast Chicken
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Skin so crisp you can hear it from the next room, meat that stays juicy, and pan juices worth arm-wrestling over. Salt it the night before, crank the oven, and carve fast. The crispy bits vanish the second you turn your back.
The short version
Salt a 3½- to 4-pound chicken and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight, roast at 450°F for about an hour until the thigh reads 170°F, then rest 15 minutes. The overnight salt is the one step to keep.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Dry-brine overnight. Salt pulls moisture out, then sinks back in as brine, seasoning the meat through to the bone while the uncovered skin dries out for crispness.
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Roast at 450°F. High heat browns the skin quickly before the breast overcooks. A smaller bird is best, so keep it to 4 pounds or spatchcock a larger one.
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Dry the bird well before salting. Dry skin crisps and wet skin steams, so pat it with paper towels until it feels tacky.
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Rest it, then spoon over the pan juices. Resting for 15 minutes lets the juices settle back into the meat. The drippings are the sauce.
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Dry the chicken
Remove the chicken from its packaging, pull out any giblets and pat the whole bird very dry inside and out with paper towels.
Wet skin steams instead of crisping, so be thorough.
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Salt it and wait
Sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the bird, including under the wings and in the cavity. Set it on a rack over a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered at least 12 hours and up to 48.
The skin will look dry and tight. That's right.
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Heat the oven
Move the rack to the center and heat the oven to 450°F. Take the chicken out about 30 minutes before roasting so it's not fridge-cold. Tuck the lemon and herbs into the cavity if you're using them, and rub the butter over the breast.
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Set it in the pan
Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen twine if you like. Place the chicken breast side up in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet or on a rack in a roasting pan.
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Roast
Roast for 50 to 65 minutes without opening the door for the first 40. The skin should be deep golden and the juices clear. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone, and take it out at 170°F.
Thighs are done at 170 to 175°F, and the breast will be well past 160°F by then, which is fine in a high-heat bird.
About 55 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Rest and carve
Move the chicken to a cutting board and rest, uncovered, 15 minutes. It will rise to a safe 165°F or more. Carve the legs and breasts, and spoon the pan juices over the top.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Aim for about ½ teaspoon kosher salt per pound of chicken, and use less if your salt is fine-grained. Salting 24 hours ahead gives the best skin.
- Short on time? Salt it at least 1 hour before roasting, and the meat will still be better than unsalted.
- For a bird over 4½ pounds, spatchcock it, which means cutting out the backbone and flattening it. It cooks in about 45 minutes at 450°F.
- Save the carcass for stock, and the leftover meat for sandwiches or soup.
- Storage. Refrigerate carved meat up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until hot.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
What temperature should roast chicken be?
Thighs should reach 170 to 175°F and the breast at least 160°F, then rest to 165°F. Always go by the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, away from bone.
How long does it take to roast a chicken at 450°F?
About 50 to 65 minutes for a 3½- to 4-pound bird. Larger chickens take longer and need a lower oven or spatchcocking so the skin doesn't burn before the inside cooks.
How do I get crispy skin on roast chicken?
Pat the bird dry, salt it, and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight. Then roast it hot on the center rack. Don't baste, because liquid softens the skin.
Do I need to cover it with foil?
No. Foil traps steam. If the breast browns faster than the legs, tent just the breast loosely for the last 10 minutes.
Why is my roast chicken dry?
Overcooking is the usual reason, so check the temperature early. Salting ahead helps the meat hold its juices, and resting keeps them from running out.
Can I roast vegetables with the chicken?
Yes. Toss halved potatoes, carrots and onions with oil and salt, and put them in the pan under the bird, or in a second pan so the skin stays dry. They need about 45 minutes.
From the table
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Made it?
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Published October 28, 2026.