Go Back
–+ servings
Print Pin

Roasted Local Whole Chicken with Crispy Skin

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Local
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 3 lb Whole Chicken
  • 1 tablespoon Duck Fat
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • Sea Salt

Instructions

  • Rinse chicken in cold water and dry with paper towel (inside and outside). To keep the chicken cooking evenly, you’ll need to flip the wing tips under the chicken and tie the legs together. You can also cut a small hole in the skin next to the end of the drumstick. Insert the drumstick tip through the hole.
  • Disconnect the breast meat from the skin by gently rubbing your fingers between the breast and the skin. Rub duck fat and thyme between the breast meat and skin. Season with salt. Place your chicken on a rack in a shallow baking dish. Refrigerate for four to 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Let your chicken rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Bake until your chicken reaches a temperature of 160 degrees, internal temperature will rise to 165 degrees while it rests. This will take 45 minutes to an hour.

Notes

WORKING WITH CHICKEN
It’s very important to keep your space clean when working with raw chicken.  Use your cutting board only for the chicken.  Wash your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling the chicken.  I like to keep disposable plastic gloves on hand.  Thoroughly wash your cutting board with hot soapy water after you are done.
NOW THAT YOU OWN SOME DUCK  FAT
You just purchased a piece of heaven! It’s rich & smooth without an overpowering flavor of its own.  It will transform any dish you add it to.  I didn’t want to overwhelm you with duck fat in these recipes and kept the butter in the potatoes.  But, duck fat is absolutely perfect in potatoes. Use the same proportion you use of butter or any other oil.  To transform it into a liquid form, just lightly warm it.
It has a high temperature point so it’s perfect for sautéing pork, steaks, chicken and seafood. It will create the perfect sear.  It’s also great for roasting vegetables, therefore, the Roasted Brussel Sprout recipe.
Can it possibly be good for you?  It’s low in saturated fats and high in unsaturated fats.  It’s one of the healthiest animal fats, healthier than butter and with just a little more saturated fats than olive oil.  The French seemed to have figured this out. They’ve been using duck fat for centuries and have less heart disease and are thinner then us.  Not to say that red wine doesn’t play a part too.  So it’s time to start enjoying duck fat and red wine.  Bon Appetite!