Crispy Baked Chicken

Crispy Baked Chicken © kvalifood.com

Chicken pieces in a baking dish with a mixture of oil and fresh herbs, first covered with foil until the meat is tender, then finished under the grill until the skin is crispy and golden. It is an easy weeknight dish where the oven does most of the work.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 1 whole chicken, about 1½ kg, cut into 8 pieces
  • salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Herb oil

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp dried tarragon
  • ½ tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped

To serve

  • home fries
  • green salad

Directions

Prepare the chicken

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the chicken into 8 pieces (2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 breast pieces, 2 wings). Season with salt and pepper. Place the pieces skin-side down in a greased baking dish.

Mix the herb oil

Stir together the oil with tarragon, rosemary, parsley, and chives. Brush the chicken pieces with half of the mixture.

Bake

Cover the dish with foil and place it in the middle of the oven. Bake for 20–30 minutes. Remove the dish, turn the chicken pieces so the skin faces up. Brush with the remaining herb oil. Return the dish to the oven, still covered with foil, for another 20–30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.

Crisp the skin

Remove the foil. Turn on the grill or raise the oven temperature to 480°F (250°C). Spoon the oil that has collected in the dish over the chicken. Grill for 5–10 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy. Keep a close eye on it — it can burn quickly.

Serving

Serve the chicken pieces directly from the dish with home fries and a fresh green salad.

Notes

  • The chicken can also be marinated in the herb oil overnight in the refrigerator for more flavour.
  • Make sure the surface of the chicken is dry before it goes into the dish — this gives a crispier result.
  • The foil traps the steam and keeps the meat tender, while the final grill takes care of the crispy skin.
  • Dried herbs can be replaced with fresh: use 3 times as much fresh as dried.
  • Add sliced potatoes and onions in the bottom of the dish so they roast along in the chicken juices.