Roasting whole chicken is a bit of an art, but worth doing when you know what to do, especially for a recipe as delicious as this chimichurri skillet roast chicken recipe. Using a preheated skillet allows you to brown the chicken as soon as it goes in, while the chimichurri marinade/sauce infuses it with a wonderfully fresh, herby flavour.
Keto Chimichurri Whole Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
- One 3-4 lb chicken
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chipped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 large shallot (around ¼ cup), chopped
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup avocado oil
Directions:
Pat the chicken dry. Combine kosher sea salt and baking powder. Sprinkle all over the skin of the chicken then put it on a baking sheet with a baking rack. Put in the fridge and allow to dry brine for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days for best results.
In a food processor or blender, pulse cilantro, parsley, oregano, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper until combined and consistent. Add vinegar and olive and avocado oils, and pulse until smoother consistency (but still “chopped”), scraping down the sides of the vessel as necessary.
Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Spoon about 1/3 of chimichurri sauce, rubbing sauce evenly all over skin of bird, putting it into a zip bag before putting it back in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours (maximum 12).
Remove chicken from fridge and allow to come to room temperature (around 30 minutes). At the same time, preheat your oven to 450F with a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet inside for 30 minutes (about the same amount of time it takes for the chicken comes to room temperature).
Carefully place the chicken, breast side up, in the hot skillet and return to oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Continue to roast until chicken is golden brown. After about 30 minutes or so check the temperature. Brush a bit more sauce on the bird and return to the oven until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165F.
Depending on the size of your bird it may be done already, or you may need to roast it another 15-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and transfer the chicken to a platter, tipping the chicken to let the juices flow out into the pan before moving it. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Serve with remaining chimichurri sauce drizzled over top. Any leftovers are great for tacos!
Did you make this keto chimichurri whole roast chicken recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy! :)
