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Chef Wolfgang Puck’s Classic Roasted Chicken Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 24, 2022 • 3 min read

Roast chicken is a classic recipe that results in juicy, tender chicken with crispy skin. You can cook it in several ways and use different cuts of chicken. James Beard Award–winning chef Wolfgang Puck’s recipe calls for searing boneless chicken in a pan before finishing it in the oven. Learn how to make his recipe at home for an easy weeknight chicken dinner. Jump to recipe.

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What Is a Roasted Chicken?

A roasted chicken recipe is typically a whole chicken cooked over a spit, fire, or in the oven, resulting in a tender and juicy bird with crispy skin. While it’s common to roast a whole chicken, you can also roast chicken thighs, chicken breasts, drumsticks, or other cuts of chicken.

You can cook roast chicken in an oven-safe pan, such as a cast-iron skillet, a rimmed sheet pan, or a roasting pan. When using a roasting pan, you can go without a rack, but if you do use a rack, you can place veggies, such as sweet potatoes, under the chicken that will become more flavorful.

Wolfgang Puck’s Take on Roasted Chicken

Wolfgang Puck came up with his roasted chicken with mustard port sauce recipe in the early 1980s for Ma Maison, his French restaurant in Los Angeles, where it became a favorite recipe among patrons.

“I created this dish at Ma Maison,” he says. “It’s really a classic—the crispy skin, the tanginess, and the sweetness of the sauce make this dish unforgettable.”

4 Tips for Making Wolfgang Puck's Roast Chicken Recipe

Wolfgang Puck’s roasting chicken recipe is easy to recreate at home. Here are four tips from the chef:

  1. 1. Have your demi-glace ready. Wolfgang Puck calls this the most important step. His recipe reduces a veal stock into a demi-glace. Learn how to make his demi-glace here.
  2. 2. Keep your chicken at room temperature. Wolfgang Puck suggests taking the chicken out half an hour before you start cooking.
  3. 3. Use a weighty sauté pan with a thick bottom. If you use a sauté pan that’s not heavy enough, it can lead to your chicken burning or make it more difficult to get crispy skin.
  4. 4. Opt for oil. Before cooking the chicken in the oven, Puck sears it in a sauté pan with olive oil. He doesn’t use butter because it can more easily burn over higher heat.

How to Safely Handle Chicken

Make sure you have thoroughly washed your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw chicken. It’s also crucial that you wash knives and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw chicken. Practicing good hygiene in the kitchen will reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Wolfgang Puck’s Roasted Chicken With Mustard Port Sauce Recipe

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16 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

prep time

5 min

total time

32 min

cook time

27 min

Ingredients

For the chicken:

For the sauce:

For the salad:

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and season chicken on both sides with salt and black pepper.

  2. 2

    Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat, and coat the pan with olive oil. When the oil is hot, put the chicken skin side down and cook for 3–4 minutes. When the skin starts to get golden brown, place the chicken in the oven for 8–12 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken.

  3. 3

    With an instant-read thermometer, measure the internal temperature. When it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, pull the chicken out of the oven. Bring back to the stovetop and flip over in the pan. Add 2 garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme to your pan. Baste the chicken with the oil in the pan until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the chicken out of the pan and let it rest on a baking rack. Remove the thyme and garlic clove.

  4. 4

    Now make your sauce. Place the pan you used for the chicken on medium heat. Deglaze the pan with port wine. Let the alcohol cook out, then add in the veal demi-glace. Whisk the juices together. Reduce for roughly 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the whole grain and Dijon mustards. Taste the sauce. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

  5. 5

    To prepare your salad, combine the dandelion greens, broccolini flowers, and parsley leaves in a medium bowl. Drizzle the greens with lemon juice and olive oil. Lightly toss the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Taste.

  6. 6

    Place the chicken skin side up in the center of the plate. Drizzle the sauce on the chicken and around the plate. Place a small handful of the dressed greens next to the chicken.

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