Ingredients
- 3 ½-4 lbs chicken
- 3 Tbsp good-quality olive oil, divided
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary, cilantro, oregano or a combination
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Place chicken on a board, breast side down. Using a kitchen shears cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it (save in freezer for soup or stock).
- Flip chicken over so breast side is up. Place both hands on the chicken, pressing firmly down to flatten it as much as possible.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.
- With breast side down, scatter chopped shallots into cavity and place chicken aside to rest.
- Place cold cast iron pan into oven and preheat to 425°F for 20 minutes. If your preheat timer dings sooner than 20 minutes, allow preheating to continue. You want your pan “screaming” hot.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil with herbs and garlic, forming a paste. Set aside.
- Remove hot pan from oven and place chicken in pan, breast side down. Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and flip chicken over, so breast side is up. Brush with herb/olive oil paste and return to oven for 10 minutes.
- Using a meat thermometer, test for 165°F in thigh. Remove from oven and allow to rest uncovered for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Preheating your pan at the same time as your oven temperature climbs is a foolproof way to yield crispy skin. Hear that sizzle when you place your chicken on that screamin’ hot pan? That’s your guarantee the pan is ready and the result will be perfect.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes + 10 minutes rest time
- Cook Time: 40 minutes + 20 minutes reheating
- Category: Main
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Jewish