Simple Roast Chicken

I thought I knew how to roast a chicken, but this was definitely the best roast chicken I have ever had. The meat was so juicy it literally fell off the bone. The layer of salt on the skin crisped up really nicely and the trussing made a difference in even cooking.

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb chicken
• salt
• pepper
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.
2. Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. I used this video to help me. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.
3. Salt the chicken evenly, using about 1 tablespoon. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. No need to baste. Roast it until it's done, 70-90 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.
5. Remove the twine. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each.