Vietnamese-inspired roast chicken

The spiced, herbaceous flavors of phở gà, the comforting Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, find their way into this roast chicken. A splash of water in the roasting pan creates a quick burst of steam, which results in beautifully rendered chicken fat, evenly bronzed skin and the tenderest pull-apart meat. The butter melts off the chicken and into the pan with the aromatics -- savory onion, sticky ginger and sweet cinnamon sticks, and you can baste the bird with that spiced fat to create a lacquer of bold flavor on the skin. Eat this chicken with the kinds of accouterments you would with a bowl of pho: Sriracha, lime and lots of fresh herbs. Rice noodles or steamed rice would taste great alongside.