The first step is, arguably, the most important. Dry your chicken off with paper towels, and let it sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before your prepare it for the oven. By bringing the chicken to a uniform temperature, you ensure that it cooks more evenly, and that the skin gets crispier, keeping all the juices locked in. Make sure you set aside the extra time to do this step – you will thank yourself later!

After the first 1-2 hours, set your oven to 450 degrees (F).

Dry off the chicken with paper towels once more. Then, liberally add sea salt to the body of the chicken. If it’s to your taste, add a bit of crushed black pepper and thyme leaves to the chicken as well. This isn’t mandatory but it makes the chicken that much more delicious, and fragrant to the nose.

After you’ve salted the outside of the chicken, turn it over, and add a bit more sea salt to the cavity of the chicken. Add a few sliced garlic cloves, lemon wedges, thyme sprigs, and black pepper, if you like. This will help season the chicken from the inside out. This is highly recommended for a delicious bird! (You can add other seasonings to the cavity of the bird as well. Try shallots, onions, rosemary, and sage.)

Once you’ve seasoned your bird, put it on a cookie sheet or baking pan covered in aluminum foil. Place it in the oven, and cook for 45-50 minutes at 450 degrees (F).

After the 45 minutes have passed, check to see if the chicken is done by cutting the space where the thigh meets the body. If juices come out, you should be good to go.

Remove the chicken from the oven, and place it on a cutting board for about 10-15 minutes to let cool.

Once the bird has cooled, trim it, and enjoy!