Chang's Roast Chicken: High Heat Method
One of 8 entries · Momofuku
Chang's high-heat roast chicken — a small chicken (1.5kg) roasted at 260°C for 35–40 minutes with no basting, no butter under the skin, no trussing — produces a different result from Robuchon's technique (CR-04) or Hazan's moderate-heat method. The extremely high heat produces a powerfully bronzed, crackling-crispy skin in a shorter time, with a juicier interior (the rapid cooking prevents moisture loss). The technique requires a small bird — large birds are not appropriate for 260°C.
- **The temperature:** 260°C or the maximum domestic oven temperature. This is not a gentle roast. - **The preparation:** The chicken dried completely — the skin must be completely moisture-free before roasting. Chang's technique: uncovered in the refrigerator overnight after patting dry. - **No basting:** Basting introduces moisture that prevents the skin from reaching the Maillard browning temperatures. The moisture-free skin at 260°C produces crackling-crispy results without basting. - **The time:** 35–40 minutes for a 1.5kg chicken. A meat thermometer at the thigh joint: 75°C indicates doneness. - **The rest:** 10 minutes — essential even at this size. [VERIFY] Chang's specific instructions.
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