Vic's Chicken

Serves as many as you like

This is easily adaptable to the number of people you’re serving; use as many pieces of chicken as you need.

I don’t recommend chicken breasts here; thighs and whole legs stay tender and flavorful during a longer cook.

Please read the whole recipe through before you start, as steps are taken to avoid contamination from bacteria that may be on the raw chicken.

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or whole chicken legs, as many as you like
Vegetable oil (I use grapeseed)
Salt
Pepper, be generous
Garlic powder
Dried oregano (I use Greek oregano)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. If you have a roast setting, use it.

Have the pan you’re going to use ready on the counter or stove. Add a small amount of oil and wipe out any excess with a paper towel.

Set a plate or platter large enough to hold the chicken next to the sink.

Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of the sink. Put the chicken pieces on the foil and drizzle with a little oil. Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Rub everything in with your hands to coat the chicken evenly.

Transfer the chicken to the plate or platter, then arrange the pieces in the roasting pan.

Discard the foil and wash your hands before touching anything else. The chicken should not have touched the sink; these steps are to prevent that entirely.

Put the pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is very, very crisp, 45 minutes to 1 hour. I usually cook it for a full hour because I want extremely crisp, well-done chicken. Baste occasionally, but do not turn the pieces.

Notes

I usually cook the chicken in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, depending on the number of pieces. If I’m making a larger quantity, I use a Misen 18-inch roasting pan. It has short sides, so the chicken roasts rather than steams.

If you have time, salt the chicken all over, place it on a rack set over a platter, and refrigerate for a few hours. This dry brining helps the skin crisp. If you do this, reduce the salt when seasoning before roasting. I often skip this because I haven’t planned ahead—and it’s still excellent.

If you’re unsure about doneness, an instant-read thermometer will tell you when the chicken reaches 165°F.

My preferred chicken is Bell & Evans, and I go out of my way to get it. The oregano I use is Greek oregano from Kalustyan’s, dried on the stem; I remove it, crush it, and sift out any large pieces through a coarse strainer.