Poulet Roti – French Roast Chicken

Recipe from Alex (video).

Season the bird generously with salt and a bit of pepper. Add some olive oil and rub over the meat. Into the cavity add: bouquet garni (rosemary, thyme, and bay) a few slices of lemon, and a few slices of thick bacon cut into strips (lardon). Don’t overfill the inside – leave room for the air to circulate.

Finally, truss the bird (video).

Option 1: Traeger

Cook for 1.5-2hrs at 300º in Traeger, until 160º internal. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes (while oven heats up), then roast at 450º for 10-15 min to brown the skin.

Option 2: Oven

Preheat oven to 300º. Place the bird in a roasting pan with 1 or 2 quartered onions and a cup of water to prevent burning. Add to oven with the breast side up.

Turn the chicken once or twice while cooking, and remove once it reaches 160º internal (about 1.5 – 2hr).

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest while the oven heats up to its maximum temperature. Place it back in oven for 10-15 minutes to brown.

Other Options

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2. Moroccan-Spiced Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 2 tbsp ras el hanout
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 preserved lemon, sliced
  • 1 cup green olives
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Mix ras el hanout, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Rub the mixture all over the chicken.
  3. Stuff the cavity with preserved lemon slices.
  4. Place chicken in a roasting pan with olives scattered around.
  5. Roast for 1.5-2 hours, basting occasionally. Let rest before serving.

3. Indian Tandoori Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tbsp tandoori masala
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Mix yogurt, tandoori masala, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, and cayenne in a bowl.
  2. Marinate chicken in the mixture for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  4. Roast the chicken for 1-1.5 hours, until the skin is slightly charred. Let rest before carving.

4. Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Combine garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, paprika, cumin, and pepper. Rub over the chicken, including under the skin.
  2. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast the chicken for 1.5-2 hours.
  4. Serve with aji verde sauce.

5. Greek Lemon and Herb Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Mix olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub all over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with lemon halves.
  3. Roast for 1.5-2 hours. Add potatoes to the pan if desired. Let rest before serving.

6. Chinese Five-Spice Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 1 tbsp five-spice powder
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp grated ginger

Instructions:

  1. Combine five-spice, soy sauce, hoisin, honey, garlic, and ginger. Rub all over the chicken.
  2. Marinate for at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast the chicken for 1.5-2 hours. Baste occasionally.

7. Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 3 tbsp jerk seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Mix jerk seasoning, olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and pepper. Rub all over the chicken.
  2. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast for 1.5-2 hours.

8. Italian Lemon and Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 2 lemons
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Mix olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub all over the chicken. Stuff with lemon halves.
  3. Roast for 1.5-2 hours. Deglaze the pan with white wine for sauce.

9. Thai Coconut and Lemongrass Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • Juice of 1 lime

Instructions:

  1. Combine coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, and lime juice. Marinate the chicken for 2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast for 1.5-2 hours, basting occasionally.

10. American Southern-Style Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions:

  1. Mix paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Rub all over the chicken.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast for 1.5-2 hours. Serve with cornbread and greens.

Week 1 (Jan 12, 2025)

Thomas Keller style

  1. Night before: added 1 sliced lemon and 4 fresh bay leaves to bird’s cavity, then trussed (video) and salted the outside, and put on wire rack in fridge overnight.
  2. Preheated oven to 450. Rough chopped 2 onions, 2 russet potatoes, and 4 carrots, and placed in roasting pan with a bit of avocado oil.
  3. Sprayed bird with avocado oil, then seasoned with salt and pepper
  1. Placed in 450 degree oven. After 10 min, decreased temp to 375 convection.
  2. After 40 min I flipped the bird. After 55 min I checked temp (133).
  3. 75 min, leg was good (158) but breast still low (140). Flipped it back over

Published on January 5, 2025