This weeknight roast chicken can be ready in an hour! Seriously! There’s a unique “twist” to the roasting method. The end result is a super moist chicken, without having to brine! The Lemon-Tarragon Pan Sauce is optional, but it’s an added tasty bonus.
Before I retired, in 2020, weeknight dinners that were simplified was always a blessing for me.
This recipe is one of them. There’s a unique “twist” to the roasting method in that when the chicken is halfway cooked, the oven is turned off to complete the roasting.
Whole Foods had a special on whole chickens, so this 3-1/2 pound bird ended up in my shopping cart.
I watched a recorded episode of America’s Test Kitchen that showed how to make this weeknight roast chicken. According to “ATK’, this recipe promised to deliver flavorful and moist chicken– without brining– in under an hour. Really? I’m listening. That’s when Craig told me that he looooves roast chicken. Who knew?
The first step is to preheat a skillet in a 450 degree oven. According to ATK, “preheating the pan and placing the chicken breast side up gave the thighs a jump start on cooking.” To prep the chicken, all I had to do was to tie the legs, slather the bird with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Then transfer the chicken, breast side up, to the preheated skillet into the oven. Roast the chicken until the breasts registered 120 degrees and thighs registered 135 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
Here’s the twist–Turn off the oven and leave chicken in oven until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. This technique was to prevent the evaporation of juices, ensuring moist meat.
While the chicken was roasting, prep the ingredients for the pan sauce. Shallots are a staple in my fridge. They’re much milder tasting than onions, and I use them often. I love tarragon, and we grow it in our herb garden. Parsley would make a fine substitute.
Add the butter and give it a good whisk. Add a little pepper, to taste. Cover and keep warm.
We finally got the hang of learning how to carve a whole chicken (which could be part of the reason I rarely roast a whole chicken), by pulling out the leg…then learning how to cut the leg away, at the joint. Easy!
Weeknight Roast Chicken with a Lemon Tarragon Pan Sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2- to 4-pound
For the Pan Sauce (optiona):
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Pepper
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 12-inch oven safe skillet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Combine salt and pepper in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub entire surface with oil. Sprinkle evenly all over with salt mixture and rub in mixture with hands to coat evenly. Tie legs together with twine and tuck wing tips behind back.
- Transfer chicken, breast side up, to preheated skillet in oven. Roast chicken until breasts register 120 degrees and thighs register 135 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Turn off oven and leave chicken in oven until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. While chicken rests, prepare pan sauce, if using. Carve chicken and serve.
For the Pan Sauce (optional)
- While chicken rests, remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from now-empty skillet (handle will be very hot) using large spoon, leaving any fond and jus in skillet. Place skillet over medium-high heat, add shallot, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and mustard, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen fond. Simmer until reduced to ¾ cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter, tarragon, and lemon juice. Season with pepper to taste; cover and keep warm. Serve with chicken.
Notes
Nutrition
Wow, this looks like the perfect Sunday night supper!
Ouch you popped a rib…I didn't even know you could do that. Good to know a chiropractor can fix it.
Roasted chicken looks devine.
Ouch…I didn't know that a rib could pop out…
Well, that explains why the dinner never arrived…I have a plate and have been waiting for my dinner to be delivered. Guess I had better get to cookin'! LOL Looks so delicious….
My mom made SO MUCH bad roasted chicken when I was a kid that I've kinda been turned off of it. But that lemon tarragon pan sauce…that sounds like the perfect fix!
Woah, you popped your rib?? Holy cow that sounds painful! Thank goodness you're a-OK! And this chicken looks super moist and tender, I love the sauce too! ATK always has the best recipes, this one definitely looks fabulous 🙂 Have a great Superbowl, hopefully you'll be able to stay awake, haha!
Never heard of "popping a rib", sounds like food to me!
Lovely bird Deb!
I'm glad you are feeling better. You have me thinking I should pay more attention to my ATK recipes. I haven't cooked one in awhile. The chicken looks wonderful.
Heard of broken ribs but never a "popped" one, glad you're feeling better!
Love tarragon. How do you keep it alive over winter? I live in LA and it dies out by Christmas!
This bird looks delicious and super easy! Thanks so much!
Sounds wonderful. The pan sauce is perfect with the roasted chicken. Tarragon and lemon is such a great combo….I think tarragon is always a nice flavor with chicken.
I tried this chicken and it is delicious and perfectly moist. Roast chicken is such a delicious, beautiful and elegant meal. Satisfying, comforting but never tastes heavy. You have awesome recipes:)
Oh my! That makes me drool.=D
Ouch Debbie. I don't think your body can take any more pain with knee replacements and popped ribs. As for the chicken I will have to give this method a try.
I saw the Weeknight episode, and have done it this way ever since. I have not been disappointed! Just amazed. The chicken is sooooo gooood!!! Thanks for posting. Patsy
Re copyright warning. How did you take cooksillustrated.com recipe for chicken verbatim without running afoul of copyright laws. They published the recipe in 2011
That is very easy to answer Wild Magnolia. I give credit to Cook's Illustrated and didn't claim this as my own recipe. I don't mind if people use My original recipes, and if they copy it verbatim, as long as they link back to me.
See? I walk the talk. Kind of a rude comment, and could've been handled nicer.
By the way, my copyright notice is because my photos are being stolen, and used on other blog posts for a totally different recipe. THAT is copyright infringement.
Going to try this tonight! I have high hopes for that pan sauce! I may try to sneak in a splash of dry white wine before adding the chicken stock 🙂