Make the tantalizing flavor of Chef Tom's herb-roasted chicken. Experience the classic simplicity and unmatched deliciousness of a delicious whole chicken!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Brining for 1-1.5 hours per pound, scaled to the bird's actual weight, seasons a 5-pound chicken proportionally rather than using a fixed brine time regardless of size
- Locking the plate in place inside the briner bucket keeps the whole chicken fully submerged for the entire brine, rather than letting part of it float above the liquid
- Tucking herb sprigs under the skin as well as in the cavity seasons the meat directly, not just the surface, since the skin acts as a barrier to surface seasoning alone
- Trussing the bird by pinning the wings and pulling the legs toward the breast keeps everything close to the body, so it roasts more evenly than a loosely splayed chicken would
Herb Roasted Chicken
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
10
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Calories
1044
Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill and prepares a whole, trussed, brined Herb Roasted Chicken. Simple. Classic. Delicious!
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken
-
1 (16 oz) bottle Sweetwater Spice Lemon Thyme Turkey Bath
-
1/2 cup Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 1 gallon water
-
Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Directions
- Pour the Sweetwater Spice Lemon Thyme Turkey Bath into an 8 Quart Briner Bucket. Add one gallon of water and 1/2 cup Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt. Whisk well to dissolve the salt.
- Place the whole chicken in the brine. Lock the plastic plate in place to keep the bird submerged. Place a lid on the bucket and transfer to the refrigerator. Brine for 1-1.5 hours per pound (5 lb chicken brines 5-7.5 hours).
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 425ºF, set up for indirect grilling.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse the surface of the bird.
- Stuff the rosemary and thyme under the skin of the chicken breasts and inside the body cavity. Season the chicken under the skin and in the body cavity with Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning.
- Truss the chicken, tying the legs together, pulling them toward the breasts and wrapping around the bird to pin the wings to the body.
Season the bird all over with Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning.
- Place the chicken directly on the second shelf of the grill. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF in the deepest part of the breasts, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove the Herb Roasted Chicken from the grill and rest 5-10 minutes before carving.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why brine for 1-1.5 hours per pound instead of a fixed total time?
Scaling the brine time to the bird's actual weight means a 5-pound chicken gets proportionally seasoned rather than under- or over-brined the way a flat, one-size-fits-all time might leave it.
Why lock the plate in place inside the briner bucket?
Keeping the plate locked down holds the whole chicken fully submerged in the brine for the entire 5-7.5 hours, so nothing floats above the liquid and cures unevenly.
Why stuff rosemary and thyme under the skin in addition to the body cavity?
Tucking herbs directly against the breast meat seasons it from underneath the skin, rather than relying on the cavity herbs and surface seasoning alone to carry all the flavor.
Why truss the chicken by pinning the wings and pulling the legs toward the breast?
Keeping everything close to the body creates a more compact, even shape, so the whole bird roasts more consistently than a loosely splayed chicken with wings and legs sticking out would.
Does pulling the chicken at 155°F mean it's fully cooked?
Not quite — this recipe's own directions pull it at 155°F in the deepest part of the breast, but USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F. Continue roasting until the breast reaches at least 165°F rather than stopping at 155°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a regular oven at 425°F can roast this chicken exactly the way the pellet grill does; you'll lose a touch of smoke flavor, but the technique translates directly.
Recipe Highlights
Weight-scaled brine time: Proportions the brine to the bird's actual size.
Fully submerged brining: Locked plate ensures even brine contact throughout.
Under-skin herb placement: Seasons the breast meat directly, not just the surface.
Compact trussing: Promotes more even roasting than a loosely tied bird.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 1044
- Carbs
- grams
- Protein
- 84 grams
- Fat
- 68 grams
- Sodium
- 721 milligrams
