Alton Brown Is Turning Heads On Instagram With A 'Near Perfect' Roast Chicken

Chefs: They can whip up flawless dishes in no time ... or at least that's what we think. But Alton Brown seems to have disproven that thought with a recent Instagram post showing off what could be described as a beautifully golden-brown roast chicken on social media along with the caption, "After twenty-something years I feel like I finally roasted a damn near perfect chicken."

Now, two decades feels like a long time to be roasting a chicken, which Brown's Instagram fans delighted in teasing him about. "20 years is far too long to cook anything, Alton," teased one follower. "20 years at what temperature?" asked another. 

But others were less caught up in the semantics of Brown's comment and more interested in the look of the roast itself. Multiple people remarked on how "gorgeous" the bird looked on its pan perch while one person even joked that "even the chicken is proud." Meanwhile, another user surmised that if Alton Brown took 20 years to achieve that chicken, they would need at least 30.

How does Alton Brown like his chicken?

Unfortunately for those of us who might want to replicate Alton Brown's feat, his Instagram post offers no clues as to exactly which of his roast chicken recipes he used or the precise steps he took. On the bright side, Brown's website lists a recipe for butterflied chicken with Aleppo and za'atar, which he describes as the "roast chicken the way you'd have it if you were invited to my house for dinner. Crunchy, flavorful, a little bite from Aleppo pepper and za'atar ... and it's just as good cold." Taking an estimated 14 hours and 30 minutes, it would at least be quick compared to two decades.

A different recipe found on the Food Network website dispenses with the za'atar and brings together a simple blend of salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, and thyme, created into a paste, and which is then used to season the chicken. 

Even with these options on hand, you might still want to feed your curiosity about Brown's "near perfect chicken." Fortunately, if it took Alton Brown twenty years to prepare a roast chicken he's this proud of, we figure we've got plenty of time to give it our best shot.