Given the thanksgiving treatment, this chicken is herbaceous, vegetal, and incredibly moist, all thanks to a combination of flavor-packed butter and a slow roast.
Ingredients
14-6 pound whole chicken
2-3tablespoonsDiamond Crystal kosher salt
4tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
2teaspoonscelery seed
2teaspoonsrubbed sage
1/2teaspoonpaprika
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
1large red onion
1navel orange
1bunchsage (about 4 big stems) plus more for garnish
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, transfer to a cutting board, and remove any giblets or neck from the chicken. Pat totally dry with paper towels and salt the chicken liberally, making sure to include crevices and the inside of the chicken. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the melted butter, celery seed, rubbed sage, paprika, black pepper, and the zest of the navel orange using a spatula. Using a basting brush, baste the butter all over the outside of the chicken, getting into all the folds.
Slice the red onion and zested navel orange into eighths by slicing in half, then slicing the halves in half, and so on. Take one eighth each of the onion and orange, and stuff it into chicken from the bottom. Stuff the entire bundle of sage into the carcass as well, tie the legs together with butcher's twine, then transfer the chicken to a baking tray. Arrange the remaining orange and onion slices around the base of the chicken, then drizzle the olive oil all over everything on the tray, including the chicken.
Roast the chicken in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin of the chicken is a deep golden brown, about 1 hour and 45 minutes and up to 2 hours. Start checking the chicken for doneness around the 90-minute mark, checking every 5-10 minutes until the chicken comes to temperature. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes prior to carving. Spoon the drippings all over the chicken or use to make gravy. Garnish with sage and serve with caramelized onions and oranges, which can be squeezed over the top of the meat.
Equipment
Butcher's Twine
Notes
This recipe can be easily doubled. To make two birds at once, double the recipe and use a large baking sheet. Place the chicken at least 5 inches apart and roast as the recipe directs.