Turkey isn’t the best part of Thanksgiving. Even when it’s perfectly cooked and juicy, it’s still not my favorite thing on my plate. And if you aren’t hosting a huge group of people, there’s just no reason for a bird that large. I would much rather prep and cook a whole chicken than a whole turkey— not just for ease, but because it tastes better. I love Thanksgiving for the sides, but if you must serve a bird, let it be chicken!

You don’t have to stress over a big bird

Thanksgiving is stressful enough as it is, especially if you’re hosting. There are so many sides to prepare, all of which require different timing and planning.

We recently published our new Maple and Soy Glazed Dry-Brined Turkey recipe, but I’ll let you in on an industry secret. In the early stages of development, this recipe was tested with chickens. Once we had refined our flavors and the salt/sugar ratios, we moved on to turkey testing. But by bearing witness to that process, I now know that I can take any of our fantastic turkey recipes and scale them down for chicken. While the math might be a little bit complicated when a variety of ingredients are involved, it’s relatively simple when working with a dry brine.

Plus, we already did the research: Our testing found that 0.8% salt by weight (or about ¾ teaspoon kosher salt per pound) worked best. Duration matters, too. Dry brining for 8 hours or fewer was underwhelming. For best flavor, a brine time of 10 to 24 hours is needed. But longer doesn’t always equal better; a brine time longer than 24 hours caused the meat to dry out and the skin to brown unevenly.

Don’t want do the math? We have tons of incredible roasted chicken recipes you can follow, no calculator needed.

Roasted chickens can be showstoppers too!

While the big, burnished, golden-brown turkey typically is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table, I would like to make a case for the humble chicken. A beautifully roasted chicken can be a gorgeous centerpiece! The key is getting really crisp, browned skin that has a lacquered sheen. Our Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken with Gochujang Butter deserves the spotlight this year. The Korean-inspired seasoning blend is bold, spicy and subtly sweet. Gochujang provides a ton of umami to help bolster the chicken and transform it into something that doesn’t need to be drowned in gravy.

If a spicier bird isn’t your forte and you want something that won’t compete with all of the other flavors on the table, our Butter-Lemon Roasted Chicken with Herbs Jus is a perfect alternative. It’s a simple, whole-roasted chicken with herbs of your choice, lemon and butter. The roasting juices are used to make a simple pan sauce that is buttery, balanced and bright. Serve the pan sauce as an alternative to gravy or alongside the gravy.

Faster cooking time means more time spent with your guests

If you aren’t concerned with having a whole bird to present to your guests, our Roasted Chicken, Perfected is the recipe for you. We did a lot of research into what makes the best roast chicken and discovered that you can’t treat all of the parts the same. Dark meat may be safe to eat at 175℉, but it tastes its best at 195℉, whereas the breast meat is best between 160-165℉.

To achieve this, we break the bird down into parts and roast them on a wire rack. We leave the breast in one whole piece, which slows down its cooking time, while the added air circulation helps break down the connective tissue in the thighs and legs, so the dark meat is rich and sumptuous, not gristly. It’s also much easier to serve, as you’ve already done most of the work carving before cooking. Plus, it cooks in under an hour. On Thanksgiving, you can’t beat that.

Want something even simpler? Our 500°F Roasted Chicken is spatchcocked, seasoned and roasted super fast at high heat. It’s dead-easy, moist and speedy, the perfect blank canvas for gravy and all your fantastic sides.

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Willow Montana

Willow Montana is the Production Manager of Digital Media at Milk Street. Willow spends their days coordinating and planning video shoots, managing schedules and overseeing the execution of digital projects. They studied Baking and Pastry Arts at Johnson and Wales University and worked in restaurants while putting themself through six more years of college. They hold a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in English Literature and a Master’s of Fine Arts in Publishing and Writing. Willow is a firm believer in living a slow, quiet life and making things by hand. When they aren’t following the developers around with a camera at the Milk Street office, they may be found at home shaping loaves of sourdough, caring for dozens of houseplants and, occasionally, out in the wild at a punk rock show.