The perfect simple dinner for you and your family!
Perfectly Simple Oven Roasted Chicken
There’s something deeply satisfying about roasting a whole chicken until the skin is crisp, the meat is juicy, and the flavor is pure and uncomplicated. This method is great for any occasion without much effort. For flash-frozen pastured poultry, we typically brine our chickens for 6-12 hours for optimal tenderness after thawing.
Roasting two chickens at once is efficient and practical. I learned about the perfect cook time and temperature for roasting chickens from my brother Joe, who is a butcher and chef in Chicago. When he brings home fresh chickens from the shop he loves to oven roast them for a simple weeknight meal. They cook evenly when they’re similar in size and two whole chickens lends plenty of meat for multiple meals. Or in our case, two is plenty to feed the entire family.
A canning pot is the perfect size to brine two small roasting chickens.
Ingredients for Brine
Water
Ice (for brine)
2 lemons or limes, sliced
6-8 bay leaf
2 Tbs whole pepper corn
2 Tbs dried rosemary
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup sea salt
Rub your newly brine chickens generously with olive oil and sea salt before roasting.
Ingredients for Chickens
2 whole chickens around 3-4 lbs each
3 Tbs Olive oil
1 cups sea salt
Thaw the Chickens
Remove two similarly sized chickens from the freezer. Allow them to thaw completely for about 24 hours. I like to let them sit on the counter for 4–6 hours first to start a good thaw, then transfer them to the refrigerator for the remaining time to finish thawing safely and evenly.
Prepare the Brine
Make a simple brine using water and salt. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. Add ice to cool the brine completely—this is an important, so the chickens stay at a safe temperature.
Brine the Chickens
Submerge both chickens fully in the cold brine. Let them soak for 6–8 hours. This step seasons the meat deeply and helps keep it moist during roasting.
Dry the Chickens
When you’re ready to cook, remove the chickens from the brine and discard the liquid. Pat the chickens completely dry with paper towels. Dry skin equals better browning.
Season Simply
Rub a small amount of olive oil over the entire surface of each chicken, including inside the cavity. Then season liberally with sea salt all over and inside. No need to overcomplicate—salt does the heavy lifting here.
Roast
Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Place both chickens on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp and the chickens are cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Rest Before Cutting
Remove the chickens from the oven and loosely cover them with foil. Let them rest for about 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the meat tender.
Cut and Serve
Cut the chickens into large pieces, keeping the bone in. This minimalist approach keeps the meat juicy and makes serving simple.
Ready for pasture-raised goodness? Check out our farm store to stock up on chicken, eggs, and more—all raised with care, right here at Osage Grove Farms.
