Roasted chicken is a surefire classic for a family lunch or dinner. Aromatic, with a golden crust and tender meat inside, it seems like a simple dish, but the perfect result lies in the details. We share five important tips that will help you cook truly juicy and delicious chicken in the oven.
1. Choose the Right Chicken and Prepare It in Advance
For roasting, chilled chicken is the best option. If the chicken is frozen, it should only be thawed in the refrigerator — this will take about a day.
Before cooking, remove excess fat, the preen gland, wing tips, any remaining feathers, and, if necessary, the neck. This preparation enhances the flavor and appearance of the finished dish.
2. Decide on the Marinade: Wet or Dry
There are two basic methods of marinating:
- Wet marinade — salty water with added herbs, spices, and citrus. It helps retain moisture in the meat, making the chicken particularly juicy.
- Dry marinade — a mixture of salt, spices, garlic, and herbs that is rubbed into the skin and left for several hours or overnight. This method ensures a crispy and appetizing crust.
Important: before using a dry marinade, the chicken must be thoroughly patted dry with paper towels.
3. Properly Shape the Carcass
To ensure even cooking, the legs should be tied with kitchen twine, and the wings should be carefully tucked under the back. This not only improves appearance but also prevents the thinner parts from burning.
4. Don’t Overload the Filling
A dense filling of vegetables or grains slows down the cooking process. It’s better to place a few cloves of garlic, half a lemon, and a bunch of aromatic herbs inside the chicken — this will give the dish a rich aroma and ensure steam circulation inside the carcass.
If you want a vegetable side dish, cut onion, carrot, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, or celery root into large pieces and place them around or under the chicken.
5. Monitor the Temperature and Let the Chicken "Rest"
Before roasting, let the chicken sit at room temperature for about an hour — this will help it cook more evenly. After a wet marinade, be sure to dry the skin.
It’s best to check readiness with a thermometer or by piercing: the juice that comes out should be clear. After roasting, let the chicken rest for 15–30 minutes. Under foil, the meat will become maximally juicy, while without it, the crust will remain crispy.
Useful Bonus
Leftover meat is perfect for salads, sandwiches, pasta, homemade shawarma, or soups. And from the bones, you can make a rich chicken broth with onion and carrot.
These tips apply not only to chicken but also to duck, goose, or turkey — just adjust the amount of salt and roasting time according to the weight and type of bird.
With these techniques, roasted chicken will always be juicy inside, golden brown outside, and cooked with pleasure.
