1 6-7 lb roasting chicken
10-12 leaves fresh sage
Provençal salt*
olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Meanwhile, rinse the (empty) chicken off with cold water. Place on the rack and position in the roasting pan. Rub the chicken with a tablespoon of oil. Arrange the leaves on the breast and sprinkle liberally with Provençal salt.
Roast at 325 for about 2 hours, then turn the heat up to 350 and cook an additional 30-45 minutes or until the juices run clear and the leg easily moves when wiggled. The internal temperature should be between 160 and 180. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before carving.
*Provençal salt is a mixture of coarse sea salt and Herbes de Provence.
My thoughts:
It is just easing into chicken roasting weather and I went totally overboard and made a roasted chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sauerkraut and roasted butternut squash all on a random Thursday evening. Now you don’t have to go that far but I suggest you carve some time out to make this chicken.
I’ve found that sprinkling a chicken with coarse salt and spices is my favorite way to insure a juicy bird with crisp burnished gold skin. As an added bonus the sage and flavored salt seep into the meat leaving it juicy and herbal without taking away from the chicken’s natural flavor. This technique incredibly simple but the results are amazing. Honestly, this was the best roasted chicken I think I’ve ever had, much less made.
No matter how many roasted chickens I see, I never get tired of them. I want them all and I want this chicken too.
This chicken recipe is a must try for dinner! And I love sharing good recipes too
I’d better check the archived posts from your site. Ciao!
technocooks.com
Ah yes…it looks like I just found our Friday night dinner for this week! Friday is our “stay in and cook” night. Actually, now that we have a 3 month old baby…most nights are “stay in and cook” nights 🙂
Thanks!
That looks really nice, maybe I do have a use for the extra fresh sage in the fridge after all!
Oh, I think I just found my Sunday dinner. That looks absolutely delicious.
I don’t think I’ve ever roasted chicken at that low of a temperature, but it definitely looks delicious! Love the idea of the sage leaves.
What a coincidence – I literally made almost this exact chicken last week for dinner except that I just used bone in chicken breasts. I cooked mine at 425 for 15 min and then reduced the heat to 350, but I’ll have to try this lower heat method.
Kalyn-I used to roast at a higher temperature too but after some experimentation I found that roasting at a lower temperature resulted in a juicier, tastier chicken.
I love the simplicity and comfort of a roasted chicken. I imagine the sage is a beautiful touch!
oh looks so delish
That looks gorgeous, thank you for sharing!
I’m curious if you have ever tried loosening the skin a bit and tucking the herbs underneath?
Carmel-
I have tried that but I find that this method more evenly distributes the flavor.
i could definitely do with that at sunday roast!
YUM!
Looks very interesting. I love to roast chicken, but up until now have either stuffed the cavity with fresh herbs or have tucked them underneath the skin. I’ll have to check this out, for sure!
Oh, this looks and sounds wonderful. We probably won’t be able to see either of our families for the holidays this year, but of course a special meal in honour of the holidays seems necessary to me….This chicken will be the perfect centerpiece! Thank you!
Okay, I totally want this for dinner now. Yum!
Oh wow, this is a really gorgeous looking roast chicken!! Your pictures are so warm and inviting!
-Amy @ singforyoursupperblog.com
When isn’t roasted chicken one of the best things EVER?! It always satisfies any time of year. Yours looks fab, and I like the Provençal salt idea too. Thanks for sharing the roast chicken love!
Looks great, I happen to have a whole chicken in the freezer and a happy little sage plant in my yard!
Please tell me: is the Provençal salt an equal measure of kosher salt and Herbes de Provence?
May- As I noted, it is generally made with coarse sea salt.
Gah, sorry. Sea salt. (I couldn’t remember offhand and the comments are on a separate page from the entry.) 🙂 So is it equal amounts sea salt and Herbes de Provence?
It is really up to you, Mary. I have seen it as a 50-50 mixture but also with more salt than spices and vice versa depending on the brand.
So I didn’t have these precise seasonings handy but I wanted to try your timing, so I just used sea salt and a mixed herbs mixture, but without sage. I am blown away! The skin is the crispest I have ever had and the meat is falling off the bone. Thank you Rachel! You just turned roast chicken into a staple for my house.
Carmel-I am glad you enjoyed it! I made it again this weekend myself!
This looks great! And I especially like how much sage it uses, since I’m still knee deep in sage from the garden!
Rachel, that bird looks perfectly roasted and the sage leaves are a nice, easy touch. The aroma must have been heavenly.
I made this last night with great results. Nice technique — thanks!