If you are a meat eater, you’ll be all-too-familiar with the craving for rotisserie chicken. Juicy, tender meat with delicious crispy skin, paired with potatoes, salad or just a good couple of slices of bread... nothing beats it.
Making it at home though? Impossible. I feel like I can never quite nail it the way that restaurants do and yes, I’m no chef, but what could I possibly be missing?
Well, according to one chef, my whole process is off.
HuffPost UK spoke exclusively with Michael Lawson, head chef at Atlantic Brasserie, to learn exactly what is missing when it comes to making restaurant-style rotisserie chicken at home.
How to make rotisserie-style chicken at home
Lawson said: “To start, buy a whole chicken and brine for around 10-12 hours. The salt in the brine will help to break down proteins in the chicken, as well as tenderising the meat.
“It’s the key to keeping the chicken moist while it cooks, and it also helps to crisp up the skin. Adding herbs and spices to the brine will achieve a more complex flavour.”
No, I haven’t been brining my chicken, thanks for asking.
For chicken brine, you’ll need:
- 2 litres water
- 200g table salt
- 100g sugar
- 30ml cider vinegar
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs sage
Lawson advised: “Once the chicken has completed the brining process, pat it dry with a paper towel. Rub the marinade on your chicken and leave it in the fridge for a few hours.”
For chicken marinade, you’ll need:
- 100ml rapeseed oil
- 10g chopped rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves
- 30g smoked paprika
- 20ml tomato puree
- 10ml honey
- 20g chopped parsley
- Zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 10g chicken bullion
Next, Lawson said: “Once chicken is marinated, preheat your oven to 190c. Cook uncovered on a roasting tray for ~80 minutes basting the juices over it every 20 minutes. To check when the chicken is cooked, insert a knife into the leg - the juices should run clear.
“Take the chicken out of the oven, give it a final baste, cover it with tin foil and leave it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.”
I don’t know about you but my sunday dinner is SORTED.