Roasted Chickens

• 4 broiler-size chickens (about 2 1/2 pounds each), trussed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Pat the chickens dry and place them, breast side up, without crowding, in roasting pans fitted with racks.
3. Rub them all over with the vegetable oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
5. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees and roast until the thigh registers 170 degrees on a meat thermometer or the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with the tip of a knife, about 65 minutes.
6. Remove the chickens from the oven and let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
7. Carve 2 of the chickens and serve on top of melted leeks with white-wine braise, adding a tossed green salad; this will serve about 4 people.
8. Store the 2 remaining chickens in the refrigerator for use in other dishes, including chicken-udon soup with hijiki and spinach leaves and warm chicken-and-frisee salad with bacon vinaigrette.

chickens, vegetable oil, kosher salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9866 (may not work)