Scott Conant's Favorite Roast Chicken Recipe Is So Good, It Could Make Him Weep

There's nothing better than sitting down with loved ones to a sizzling roast chicken on a Sunday afternoon. But wait — maybe there is. Scott Conant's recipe nearly made him cry, and while we've enjoyed our fair share of delicious chicken, it's never actually reduced us to tears. So what's his secret?

Well, luckily for us, the former Chopped judge opened up in a tell-all Facebook tutorial. He starts with a whole chicken, and cuts down each side of the breastbone. Next, he removes the thigh and leg bone, while leaving the wing bone in. He's left with two semi-boneless half-chickens, which he seasons with kosher salt and sizzles skin-down in a pan. He then roasts them in a 500 degree Fahrenheit oven and flips the chicken over once it's done, revealing, with a flourish, the final result.

"This is crispy and delicious," he says. After leaving the chicken to tenderize for a few minutes, he drizzles over demi-glace for a sticky, savory bite. Next come sea salt flakes and chives to finish. And voilà: "I might weep," he confesses. But Facebook users are skeptical. "That, is by definition, not a roast chicken," one points out. And others agree — is a roast chicken still a roast chicken if it's, at first, fried? That's one of life's big questions. We don't know the answer, but we do know that whether it's fried, roasted, or something else entirely, we'd be happy to see it served up (and maybe even shed a tear).

Roast chicken really is the centerpiece of any dinner table, and Scott Conant has landed on a gem of a recipe. But you may want to play around with the flavor, adding garlic, lemon, and sprigs of thyme to the marinade, drawing on foolproof roast chicken recipes of time past, or sprinkling on Sichuan pepper – a Gordon Ramsay riff on the classic dish. And to make demi-glace, just mix up beef stock and brown sauce for an umami-rich finish.

And the sides can really make your main dish stand out. There's the traditional array of roast veg, of course, but why not whisk up hispi cabbage with lime and chili, or opt for a simple green salad for a lighter summertime pick?

One final thing — don't forget the potatoes. Here, another celebrity chef also has a nifty hack: Jamie Oliver parboils the potatoes before seasoning with red wine vinegar, rosemary, and garlic, and then crushes them halfway through the roasting process. It's a recipe for golden, crispy potatoes every time. So why not follow in the footsteps of the greats next time you fancy hosting a dinner party. With chicken courtesy of Conant, seasoning thanks to Ramsay, and potatoes down to Oliver, you'll be in for a succulent, star-studded feast.