This Spicy Roast Chicken is an easy way to turn a whole chicken into a flavorful, satisfying dinner with crisp skin and juicy meat. Bold spices add plenty of flavor to the chicken while roasting brings out the natural richness of the meat and creates beautifully browned skin.
If you love classic roast chicken but want something with more heat and personality, this recipe is an excellent choice. Roasting a whole chicken may seem intimidating, but it’s actually one of the simplest ways to prepare a complete meal. The key is seasoning the chicken generously, allowing the skin to brown properly, and using an instant-read thermometer to determine when the meat is fully cooked. Resting the chicken before carving also helps keep the juices inside the meat.
This spicy roasted chicken recipe is versatile enough for a Sunday dinner but straightforward enough to make whenever you’re craving a comforting homemade meal. Serve it with roasted potatoes, rice, vegetables, or a crisp green salad.
Leftover chicken can be shredded and used in sandwiches, salads, soups, tacos, or casseroles, making a whole roasted chicken an economical option for meal planning. For cooks who enjoy adjusting the heat, the spice level can easily be customized by increasing or reducing the amount of chili-based seasoning. The result is a roast chicken that’s familiar and comforting but considerably more exciting than a basic herb-seasoned version.
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Spicy Roast Chicken
This is a scrumptious Spicy Roast Chicken recipe. Serve with some side dishes for the perfect Sunday, family meal. You know that nifty and thrifty trick where you can toss what remains of a roast chicken supper—namely the bones and any meat left clinging to them—into a pot along with some vegetables and water and you’ll end up with a damn fine stock, yes? You can do that with this chicken, too. Just be mindful that the cayenne will come through in the resulting stock.
A simple recipe that you just throw together. Pop it into a very hot oven and it is ready in a hurry.
Serve this great roast chicken with Garlic Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes or Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Total Time: 1:35
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1/2 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped sage
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One 4-pound pastured chicken
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño peppers, sliced, plus 1/4 cup of the brine strained into a spray bottle
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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Topping
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a blender, puree the Dijon mustard, water, chile powder, half of the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the sage, 1/2 teaspoon of the oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast side up in an ovenproof skillet; coat with the mixture.
- Bake the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Spray the chicken with the jalapeño brine; bake for 5 more minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- In a skillet, cook the jalapeños, parsley, lemon juice, the remaining garlic and the remaining sage in the butter and remaining oil over moderate heat until fragrant.
- In a skillet, brown the garlic in the oil over moderate heat; discard the garlic. Add the bread crumbs, zest, parsley and cayenne and stir until the crumbs are crisp. Season with salt.
- Top the chicken with the jalapeño butter, sprinkle with the crumbs and serve.
Notes
- Suggested Wine Pairing: Fruity, full-bodied Chardonnay, such as one from California’s Central Coast.
- Prep Time: :15
- Cook Time: 1:20
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven