How to Properly Roast a Chicken | Kenji's Cooking Show
Vložit
- čas přidán 3. 12. 2023
- A perfect roast chicken is one of the great culinary pleasures. Here's a good way to do it if you want breasts so juicy you'll fight for them.
I don't take sponsorships or do promotions of any kind. The best way to support me if you like my work is to buy my books or join my Patreon.
You can get any of my books, The Food Lab, The Wok and Every Night is Pizza Night) wherever books are sold, or you can order signed and personalized copies to be shipped anywhere in the world from here: booklarder.com/search?q=kenji
If you like my stuff, follow me over on Patreon, where you will find every new video published early and ad-free, typically with fully written step-by-step instructions: / kenjilopezalt
Here's Daniel Gritzer's excellent article and recipe for perfect roast chicken on Serious Eats: www.seriouseats.com/perfect-r...
Here's my old Cook's Illustrated chicken roasting method: www.americastestkitchen.com/c...
Here's my spatchcock chicken article and recipe: www.seriouseats.com/butterfli... - Jak na to + styl
Official puncture count:
Right thigh - 38
Right breast - 25
Left breast - 23
Left thigh - 42
Can someone please double check the numbers?
Thank you for your service.
@@JKenjiLopezAltI saw almost the same technique used by Adam ragusea too
I poked too many holes, do I throw the chicken away?
@@Koskettaja609 NO! A dog could eat it from the trash, and too many holes makes it poisonous!
Back skin? Chef's treat.
Bits of fond? Chef's treat.
Oyster? Chef's treat.
The thigh, breast, and wings? Believe it or not, also chef's treat.
I honestly thought you said “you have to trust your chicken”, which makes sense because you should always trust the bird you’re about to eat. It was only when I saw the string that I realised.
One of the things this channel brings that others don’t is the tricks of the trade that aren’t even mentioned in the video. Like in this one where the butcher’s twine being pulled from a closed drawer or previously when Kenji cut cherry tomatoes with the lid of a deli container. That’s the stuff I look for: things that make my life easier that only come from working in a professional setting for years.
For sure but, to be fair, Joshua Weissman made a video of 100 professional kitchen hacks a few months ago.
@@beshmanputting it the nicest way I can: Weissmans presentation is truly not for everyone.
Absolutely right. It’s the things he does while cooking it, that I pick up on and start to do myself when I cook. The way he does it just brings so much enjoyment to cooking when I try myself.
@@willmitchell8500 Agreed.
Or like crisping the main filling for a taco in a skillet and just resting the tortilla on top of it while the protein browns, which also softens and warms the tortilla. It's the little things, like not stressing over whether my tortilla is warm and flexible enough and constantly dashing to and from the microwave, that make cooking more enjoyable
I love when kenji comes back from the future to correct the chicken roast timeline. Truly greatest moment in cooking history!
I love your cooking and your videos Kenji. Thank you so much for taking the time to make them.
Love your instructions. They always work exactly as described, and always a hit with guests. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Have made this twice now for different groups and have had stellar results! Great video!
Great video, thank you so much for the quality content you put out for us!
Thank you for your work in the food world! You have inspired and taught countless, including me. I am very grateful for you Kenji :)
Just bought myself the Food lab for christmas after eyeing it for years, i never realized how PACKED full of information it is, looking forward to reading it thank you Kenji! :)
I wish I gotten that book as a gift one day 😂
Did the same thing. My copy hasn't arrived yet. I'm hoping it arrives before Christmas to help me prepare Christmas lunch. 🤞
@@Dan82Aussie lucky duck!
I just finished dinner with my wife and kid and they say this is the best roast chicken I've ever done! Thank you J. Kenji for helping us good cooks become better.
Loved this video, your techniques have been invaluable to me, the egg section of Food Lab alone was a game changer.
Wow! I was just looking for roast chicken recipes. 👍 Perfect timing!
OK, I just roasted a chicken using this method. It is pure genius. Best chicken I've ever roasted. I'll never do it any other way from now on. Thanks!
this guy is the real deal. amazing teacher
I know how to roast a good chicken. Having said that, this is one of the best videos I’ve seen on this channel in a while now. Lots of pro tips that will improve my skills and also doesn’t require any fuss/special equipment. Nice work Kenji!
Awesome! You always deliver the best coking techniques!
Keeping the twine in the cabinet and using that as a feeder is so smart. I've learned so many random tricks from you!
WOW! You make this so approachable! I've been interested in roasting chicken as of late and now I feel I could absolutely do it! Thank you for making this easy to understand and accomplish for amateurs like me. :D I know that would taste incredible!
nice new cooker kenji! always loved your videos!
this was an amazing transfer of knowledge
Great looking roasted chicken. Really insightful video full of great tips, appreciate all the content.
Looking forward to watching this! My toaster oven has a rotisserie function and I'm hoping this is applicable to it.
I followed this technique to the letter and probably made the most perfect roast chicken of my life. I used garlic salt + pepper for the initial seasoning and that was sufficient. Next time I’ll try adding something else (paprika, tandoori seasoning) but I’m not sure if those spices will end up getting burnt , so I might just dust the chicken with them around the 75% mark. Thanks a lot Kenji. Your step by step instructions were easy and the results were excellent.
Hi Kenji , just ordered Food Lab , going to roast a chicken tomorrow just like the video ..great information thank you !
I’ve literally been planning to try roasting a chicken here in the next week or so. Impeccable timing. Thank you Kenji!
Hi Kenji!
Followed your recipe for Christmas and it was a huge success. First time we've done a whole chicken by ourselves and it was perfect. Thank you so much for the work that you do ❤ Merry Xmas from our brazilian family in the Netherlands to yours!
Thanks, Kenji. I'm personally a fan of spatchcocking, but it is good to know about this other method of roasting a chicken whole.
I've been roasting chickens for maybe 10 years and I thought I had my routine down pat but this video will add several new steps to it and I think the change will be permanent.
Looks so good!
The greatest cooking channel on the internet.
Looks wonderful. I'm going to give it a go. Thanks heaps!
Kenji is the man
I've been tried to tackle roast chicken for a while. FYI the books are phenomenal !!!
YES! Thank you for this!
Hey Kenji! Love your content! I learn so much from you! I tried many roasted chicken recipes but I am intrigued to try this one! Thank you for your marvellous content! *Edit I just finished watching and Kenji I agree with you, properly cooked chicken breast is phenomenal!
Kenji is a real G. Dude must be worth alot with all the experience, books and wotnot. Yet, here he is, teaching us simple homecooks everything he knows, making it fun to watch in the process and actually explaining why he does what he does. You can tell how much passion goes into every video, by the constant smile he wears. This man is a treasure!
After 50+years in the kitchen i now know how to really make roast chicken. Grateful.
Love all the vids, Kenji. I watch them religiously. One thing: check your frame on the tripod or mounted camera shot; I think you thought you had more headroom than you did. Keep up the great work !
The Food Lab is an outstanding addition to any cooking library! Love the running monologue! "splay the chicken pornographically."
Cooking Bible 👨🍳
Used this method for our christmas chicken. Turned out wonderfully.
Kenji such a likable dude man. Great video on this often poorly made bird!
For a couple years I watched every video as they were released. Somewhere along the way I stopped. Well, I’m back baby!! Great video!
Kenji, could you do a gift guide for a person who loves to cook?
Kenji, when you are trying to describe how brown you are going for, my suggestion is to refer to that wood lid on your stove. It has a range of brown shades you can pick from.
First off, Kenji you have heavily influenced my cooking and made me enjoy the world of cooking and putting smiles on the faces of friends and family. I will be purchasing your cookbook soon! Thank you! Could we set a bed of mirapoix underneath the chicken and use the fats to make gravy as well after the roasting process?
Thank you, Kenji.
Awesome! Thank you for the video!
I love that you posted this a little before @FrenchGuyCooking posts his rotisserie chicken series.
By coincidence I had a salted chicken in my fridge that I was going to spatchcock and cook when you 'dropped' this video. I usually roast mine in a large skillet over a few layers of sliced potatoes that I prep with mandolin. As the chicken roasts it releases its fat down over the potatoes and gives them a good roast as well.
I decided to try this whole roast instead and it worked fantastic. I simply roasted the cut up cubed potatoes separately in the fat rendered as you suggested. Both dishes have the same flavor profile, but this was a great method for roasting the bird whole, which is sometimes wanted. How am I still learning new ways to roast poultry after 40 years cooking?
BTW, you look amazing! Assuming you didn't have an illness, your videos from 7 months ago, and then 3 months ago (you seem to have a break in between), show such a difference. If you can share any diet tips, I'd appreciate it. Struggling with my love of food at the moment.
Lastly, thank you for recommending Harold McGee's book, 'On Food and Cooking.' Just received, and am really enjoying. (I'm in a rambling mood tonight ).
About his diet, pretty sure he said he’s been trying to reduce his portion size. It’s been a while, and I couldn’t find the source video, so I don’t have the context of that.
Wholesome chicken cookery brother ❤
Man you're genius chef
An excellent and different technique for roasting a yard bird!
I dig the camera angles mixed with the old camera angles (the chef pov)!
just made this for dinner just now and followed the instructions aside from forgetting to poke my knife at the bottom, making holes, basting before going in the oven, and overshooting the temperature a little bit coz i don't own a wireless probe yet, but still fantastic when stuffed with lemon. helps a little more that i used the pan juice which had paprika from my paprika cabbage to got with butter and cream. it's my wife's new favourite
Very helpful video. Thank you.
Dang! I gotta try this, great idea!
my favorite cooking videos
Thanks for this.
Every night is pizza night is so wonderful! Grabbed it as a gift and im so excited to make the pizza recipe with the recipient ^.^
Thanks Kenji!
Exellent guide thanks
Looks delicious!
gravy recipe coming next I hope! best part of a roast chicken
Kenny you never disappoint and you are an inspiration. Thank you for being you
Kenny? How familiar!!
Hi Kenji, recipe looks amazing and can’t wait to try it as is. Do you think the various roasting techniques would pair nicely with a buttermilk brined chicken as well?
Immediately went and added that Combustion Inc thermometer to my Christmas wish list! Never thought I’d get this excited about something like a thermometer….
I use one. I put piece of parchment paper under and running up the side to prevent sticking. Dutch oven also is easier to prop chicken on side and reduces splatter in oven. Radiates heat well but recommend heat it on the stovetop to start.
Finally someone speaks out against juice squeezers!
Great video! How about a video on the roasted potatoes next?
Kenji! I’m your biggest fan. Would love to see your rendition of Peking duck. A dish I am so intimidated by, but I know for sure you would do an amazing job showing us the way ❤
Way to fire KLO! This will be the next Go To for all roast chickens! Perfect!!
6 am upload times are nice for my wack sleeping schedule
Thank you for validating the importance of Chef treats! Confession time: no oyster makes it to the table when I prep a whole chicken lol. Great video!
Do you have a recommendation for a really good in-oven probe thermometer? I looked at the Combustion you mentioned, but $200 is a hell of a price point.
excellent video
That thermometer just blew my mind. I'm definitely looking into getting one now
What brand is it?
@@lm3718 Combustion Inc.
Adam Ragusea did this very same technique a couple of years ago and I’ve been using it ever since. Glad more chefs are coming around to the idea…
Pretty sure Adam references Kenji as the source for the method - if not, he's definitely inspired by Food Lab. I agree though, I also first heard of it through Adam's video and its yet to give me anything but a great roast chicken!
Really loving your wok and food lab books! Thanks for all the in depth learning. Curious what model toaster oven is that? I see a number of different sizes on the breville website.
Thank you Kenji!!!!! I’m gonna get my chicky salted and on a rack tonight!
the salting and leaving it for a day was a game changer for me back in the day
Great vid my man….a star you are. But how do you reheat the chicken later? Cover it? What temp in oven? thanks again.
@7:20. 🤣 I’m going to add this phrase to my everyday lexicon.
@Kenji I have that same thermometer. I think when you were checking the temperatures of various areas you weren’t getting accurate (or fast) temps because you have to switch modes to “instant” by clearing the ‘cook to’ temperature. Also, love these simple cook at home videos.
What thermometer is that?
Seconding @davidslater250's question
@@davidslater250 Combustion Inc Predictive Thermometer.
Been considering purchasing that thermometer - worth the investment?
I'm not sure that it is at its current price. The thermometer itself needs charging and does not seem to hold its charge between cooks if they are a few weeks apart. They sell a range extending booster which also keeps the probe battery "topped off" but I honestly think it should have come with the device. I was able to get the thermometer and booster on sale because I was an early adopter but I'm not sure I would spend $229 on my current setup.
Thank You
what is the thermometer called. Never knew we finally made kitchen technology fit for 2023...preditceve time to temp. love it.
Is that an old Griswold skillet?
This was a very informative video. Lots of great practical tips which home cooks can use.
Have you tried this method while stuffing the chicken? Most sources recommend against it because of a danger the stuffing would not be cooked to a safe temperature. But I wonder if you could remove the stuffing and cook it some more in the oven?
Kenji I made this for Christmas dinner and someone said “wow, the breast meat is better than the dark meat” and others went on to say it was the best roast chicken they’ve ever had.
I forgot to poke the holes initially. I rotate it in my oven every 15 minutes and during the first rotation I noticed very little juice coming out and so I poked the holes at this point and lots of juices came out. I think this negatively impacted the crispyness of the skin because the first time I made this the skin came out better. This cooking method is 🔥
I love to make roast chicken. The best moment of this for me is when he keeps picking stuff off the chicken and tasting it. That’s how you know that it’s really good.
Just bought a rotisserie chicken from Publix a couple of days ago. Now I can make it at home.
You're my favorite cooking channel because you show elevated cooking in a realistic kitchen. Many of your viewers would have a similar set up so your recipes and techniques aren't intimidating to want to try.
The biggest tip I give anybody who is an average home cook. (Same as what Kenji says halfway through) when you roast a chicken or turkey, get the outside of the bird as dry as possible on the outside, and optimally, dry it out uncovered in the fridge. You get a very pretty brown bird by the time you are done.
He mentioned this point at 10:14
Great work! Whats the knife brand/model are you using at the end?
Made your Food Lab Spatchcock roast chicken today and I have got to say: it’s good but this looks beautiful and maybe even a bit less fussy.
I simply smother the bird in a herb and garlic butter and roast at 200C/390f) for 1-1.5 hrs depending on size. Rest for 20 mins minimum and it always comes out really juicy with very crisp skin. Im going to try this more convoluted method though, maybe i just never had perfect chicken before!
Hey Kenji
what toaster oven are you using ? and what budget ones would you recommend ?
Great vid as always. I can't seem to get the roast chicker right no matter what I try. That's probably at least in part, because all the chicken I can get are 100% water cooled.
What is the knife you have been using in the recent vids?
Hey boss, always learn something when your name pops up. Even with content going back years!!
A question I have, what suggestions would you have for a Rotisserie chicken? How much of this methodology would transfer over to that style of cooking? I have experimented with a few dry-brined birds (~2 pounders, 3-4 hours with and without sodium nitrite), finally going to leave one overnight to dry brine for the first time…. What else can I be doing with the skin, besides basting towards the end?
After using your turkey method of a pizza stone I will do whatever you tell me. Gonna make a chicken this weekend
BOMB so concise