What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen - Kelli’s Roast Chicken

Proud

Greetings, food fans.

This past week, I had the pleasure of attending an event sponsored by the Nevada Department of Agriculture at Schussboom Brewing Company. We gathered to celebrate the top five finalists for the 2024 Nevada Agriculture, Food, and Beverage Small Business of the Year award and the 2025 Nevada Craft Beverage Passport release.

I am happy to report that Fallon showed up—two local businesses made the top five, and at least one other received a nomination. Congratulations to Momma’s Meat Company on your first nomination, Huck Salt for making the top five, and Yellow Petal Flower Farm for bringing home the award. I cannot begin to express how honored I am to be a part of your business journeys and to witness the fantastic things you are accomplishing.

Excited

This coming week is one I am looking forward to immensely. I have my initial live orientation for grad school, and I cannot wait to meet the other cohort members and learn more about the Master’s in Urban Leadership curriculum.

Also on my calendar is a meeting with the Nevada Department of Agriculture and Assemblywoman Natha Anderson to discuss Cottage Food laws in Nevada and what changes are necessary to increase the viability of these businesses. Cottage food producers play an essential role in our local food system—helping them become more viable will benefit all of us.

Nourish

This week, I am taking y’all back to the basics.

One of my favorite things to eat is roasted chicken. When I pull the chicken out of the oven, I almost need to be physically restrained from pulling off the golden brown, crispy skin and devouring it immediately.

Back in my Slanted Porch days, I looked forward to chicken salad prep for exactly this reason. We would roast a sheet pan load of skin-on chicken thighs for a recipe that didn’t call for skin—chef snack. Here are my essentials for a top-notch oven-roasted chicken.

Brine

I recommend dry-brining every animal protein before cooking (except for ground meats). The process is simple—liberally season the meat with kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal) and wait.

Thanks to osmosis, the salt on the exterior pulls water out of the meat, where it combines with the salt. After some time, that salty liquid is pulled back into the meat. Dry-brining in moist meat prevents the dilution of flavor that occurs with added water and enables super-crispy skin (nearly impossible to achieve with a liquid brine).

Adding baking powder to the brine helps achieve next-level crispiness because science. I won’t bore you with the details.

Rest

After seasoning your bird, store it uncovered in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Place the chicken on a wire rack in a rimmed baking dish to catch any juices and prevent contamination.

Stuff

Before baking the bird, I like to stuff the cavity with aromatics and seasonings. Some favorites: fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram), garlic (a whole head with the top cut off), and citrus (lemon, orange, lime).

This is also the time to add extra seasonings to the exterior and truss the bird if you prefer.

Bake

I prefer a relatively high oven temperature for roasting chicken (400-425°F).

The recommended internal temperature for chicken is 165°F to ensure all bacteria are killed instantly. However, food safety is about the intersection of temperature and time—at 165°F, bacteria are eliminated instantly, but food held at 150°F for at least three minutes achieves the same results.

Ultimately, food safety decisions are personal, so I won’t make a recommendation either way. That said, I like my steak rare, and my roast chicken pulled out of the oven when the breast hits 150°F.

Kelli’s Roast Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

2 T kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal)

2 t baking powder

1 large chicken (4-5#), giblets removed, wing tips trimmed

2 T olive oil

1 head garlic, top chopped off

1 lemon, cut in half

1 bu fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, sage, etc)

2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine kosher salt and baking powder. Thoroughly season the chicken (including the cavity). Place chicken on a wire rack set into a rimmed baking dish and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400℉. Stuff the interior cavity of the chicken with citrus, garlic, and herbs. Truss if you would like. Rub chicken with 2 T olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with additional dry herbs and black pepper if you prefer.
3. Roast until the breast registers 150℉ and the thighs are 165℉.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

*** For a one-pan dinner ***

Before roasting, place the chicken in a baking dish on top of assorted root vegetables. The fat and juices drip from the chicken while baking, making a delicious veggie seasoning!