Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken
Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken delivers shatteringly crisp, deeply bronzed skin with tender, succulent meat underneath. A quick thyme and lemon pan sauce, whisked with cold butter, adds a bright, silky finish that balances the rich roast flavors. Serve for a cozy weeknight dinner or an impressive weekend centerpiece.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook55 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 56 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 92 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 13
- Heart Health
- 62
- Metabolic
- 16
- Digestive
- 25
- Inflammatory
- 54
- Performance
- 45
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- 2
Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken and set it in a large oven-safe skillet. If desired, use scissors to snip off the tail.
- 3
Generously sprinkle kosher salt inside the cavity and over the back and sides of the chicken. Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Generously salt the breasts, coating them well. Wipe any excess salt from the skillet with paper towels.
- 4
Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh, without touching bone, registers 160 degrees C (70 degrees C), 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer from the skillet to a serving platter and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
- 5
Blot about 90 percent of the chicken fat from the skillet with a paper towel held with tongs, leaving the browned bits in the pan. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and add the thyme leaves. Cook, stirring, until the thyme wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and water, stirring to dissolve the browned bits, and reduce the sauce by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
- 6
Reduce the heat to low, add the cold butter, and stir until the butter starts to melt. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken to the sauce and continue stirring until the butter is incorporated and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.
- Calories 543.19 kcal High 27%
- Protein 95.26 g Good Source 191%
- Carbohydrate 9.49 g 3%
- Total Fat 17.08 g High 22%
- Saturated Fat 4.12 g High 21%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 335.19 mg High 112%
- Sodium 917.31 mg High 40%
- Dietary Fiber 1.11 g Low Source 4%
- Total Sugars 1.18 g --
- Added Sugars 0.2 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 11.91 mg Low Source 1%
- Iron 0.13 mg Low Source 1%
- Potassium 82.18 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin A 3.21 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 15.44 mg Moderate 17%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Milk 🥛
About This Recipe
Chef John's High Heat Salt Roasted Chicken is made with 9 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Broth, and Fresh Thyme. Each serving provides about 543.19 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken made of?
- The main ingredients are Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Broth, Fresh Thyme, Lemon. The full list of 9 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken?
- About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 543.19 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 9 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken healthy?
- Chef John's High-Heat Salt-Roasted Chicken has an easyChef Pro health score of 49/100. Per serving, it provides 543.19 calories and 95.26 g of protein, or 191% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 917.31 mg (40% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 4.12 g (21% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus and Milk, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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