Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Two-at-a-Time Roast Chickens

Name: Two-at-a-Time Roast Chickens
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: Makes 2 chickens (Serves 8)
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 2 (3½‑ to 4‑pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

By Lan Lam

Published on July 17, 2026

Time

1¼ hours, plus 20 minutes resting

Yield

Makes 2 chickens (Serves 8)

Ingredients

Ingredient check list

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 (3½‑ to 4‑pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Why This Recipe Works

You would think that roasting two chickens at once would be twice the trouble, but our method makes it nearly as easy as roasting one. We start by preheating the roasting pan in a 450-degree oven; since the slower-cooking leg quarters have direct contact with the pan, this gives them a head start on the quicker-cooking breasts. After about 30 minutes of roasting, we then shut the oven off and allow the birds to coast to doneness in the residual heat. Because most moisture loss in roasting happens through surface evaporation, turning off the oven cools the exterior of the birds and slows that loss, while carryover heat inside each bird continues to conduct inward to gently finish cooking them. The result is remarkably juicy breast meat with almost no risk of overcooking. A few small slits cut into each chicken before roasting let the rendered schmaltz and juices flow freely into the pan, giving you plenty of flavorful drippings for serving.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, which is denser, use 1½ tablespoons and sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of the salt mixture into each cavity. For best results, use chickens that are about the same size. If your birds are larger (up to 4½ pounds), increase the time when the oven is on in step 4 to 35 to 40 minutes. Open the oven door as little as possible and remove the pan from the oven while taking the chickens’ temperature; if you have a remote‑probe thermometer, this is a great recipe to use it.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position, set roasting pan on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 2 tablespoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl.

Place 2 (3½‑ to 4‑pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded, breast side up on cutting board. Working with one chicken at a time, use kitchen shears to thoroughly trim excess fat and skin from cavity. Lift 1 leg and use paring knife to cut ½‑inch slit in skin where drumstick meets thigh. Turn chicken on side so breast faces edge of counter. Cut ½‑inch slit in skin where leg quarter meets breast. Repeat both cuts on other side.

Rub chickens all over with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (1 tablespoon per bird). Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt mixture into cavity of each chicken, then sprinkle remaining salt mixture evenly all over chickens. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wings tips behind back.

Remove roasting pan from oven. Place chickens, breast side up, in pan and return pan to oven. Roast until breasts register 120 to 125 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Turn off oven and leave chickens in oven until breasts register 160 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer chickens to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

While chickens rest, scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Transfer drippings to fat separator and let stand for 10 minutes. Carve chickens, transferring any accumulated juices to drippings. Serve chickens with pan juices. (If only serving 1 chicken, let second carved chicken cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for future use, up to 3 days.)