Best Ever Mayo Roast Chicken: Test Kitchen Time! | Marion's Kitchen

Prepare the chicken the day before you want to cook it. Pat the whole bird dry with paper towel, then season liberally all over with sea salt. Rub the salt into the skin. Place the chicken onto a plate or tray, then transfer to the fridge. Leave it, uncovered, to do its thing overnight.

The next day, preheat your oven to 240°C (460°F).

Take the chicken out of the fridge and give it time to come to room temperature. Pat dry all over once more with paper towel to ensure the skin is dry. Next, using a pastry brush, brush the mayonnaise all over the chicken. Use kitchen string to tie the chicken legs together.

Place your basted bird in a roasting dish and transfer to the oven. Roast in the oven until the internal temp is 75°C or 165°F (make sure you use a meat thermometer – our chicken took roughly one hour). The juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh meat with a knife or skewer. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving and serving.