The Secret to Perfectly Crispy Roast Chicken Skin Every Time

Of all the complaints home cooks make about roast chicken, flabby, rubbery skin is the most frequent. And the frustrating thing is that most recipes address it incorrectly -- they tell you to roast hotter, or to start breast-side down, or to add butter under the skin. None of these are the fundamental solution.

The real answer is moisture control, and it happens before the chicken ever goes near the oven. The first step is to dry-brine the chicken at least 24 hours in advance, and up to 72. Salt draws moisture out of the skin through osmosis, then the salt dissolves in that liquid and is reabsorbed, seasoning the meat from the inside. The drawn-out moisture then evaporates as the chicken sits uncovered in the refrigerator, leaving the skin dry and ready to crisp. This single step makes more difference than any other technique.

The second step is to ensure the chicken is at room temperature before it goes into the oven -- cold chicken from the fridge sends steam up through the meat as it warms, and that steam is the enemy of crispy skin. The third step is to roast on a rack over a pan rather than sitting in juices -- air circulation under the chicken ensures the bottom of the skin crisps as well as the top. Apply these three steps to our Roasted Herb Whole Chicken recipe and you will achieve the best roast chicken you have ever made at home.