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500°F Roasted Chicken

500°F Roasted Chicken

By Hisham Ali HassanJanuary 28, 2025

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    2 hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    15 minutes active, plus resting

A blisteringly hot oven works beautifully for quickly achieving crisp, bronzed skin on a spatchcocked chicken, but it also can smoke up the kitchen when drippings scorch on the hot pan. Our solution is simple — a few slices of sandwich bread moistened with water to absorb the rendered fat and juices. (You can even use the heels of the loaf, everyone’s least favorite part.) If your oven offers a convection setting, use it. The circulation of hot air not only shaves a few minutes off the roasting time, it helps the bird brown more evenly.

Tip

Don’t skip the one-hour room-temperature rest after seasoning the chicken; this helps it cook more quickly. And be sure to pat the bird dry before roasting. The salt draws out moisture that must be wicked away to get the best browning and crisping.

Ingredients
  • 3-4

    slices sandwich bread

  • 4

    pound whole chicken

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    teaspoons grapeseed or neutral oil

Step 1

Arrange the bread slices in the center of a rimmed baking sheet, positioning them to cover a rough 8-by-11-inch area. Drizzle the bread with ¼ cup water, then set a wire rack in the baking sheet, over the bread.

Step 2

Place the chicken breast down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone, end to end; remove the backbone and discard. Spread open the chicken, then turn it breast up. Using the heel of your hand, press down firmly on the thickest part of the breast until the wishbone snaps.

Step 3

Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place it breast side up on the prepared baking sheet, centering it over the bread. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. About 45 minutes before roasting, heat the oven to 500°F (use the convection setting, if available) with a rack in the upper-middle position.

Step 4

When the oven comes to temperature, use paper towels to pat the chicken dry, then brush with the oil. Roast until well browned and the thickest part of the thighs reach 175°F, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 45 minutes with convection). Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve. Discard the bread in the baking sheet.

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