Simple Roasted Chicken
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes1
hour25
minutesI love roasted chicken. It is my comfort food. If I am not feeling well or having a bad day this always picks me up. What I love about roasting a whole chicken is you can really add whatever you have on hand to jazz it up. I had guests coming to the ranch for dinner and they were hungry, but wanted something light so I made this. I just cut the fresh herbs in my garden and also added lemons, garlic, onions, salted butter and olive oil. When pressed for time, I spatchcock the bird and season the cavity with salt, fresh ground pepper and whatever else I have around. If you only have dried herbs, they work fine as well. I like to spatchcock, fill the cavity with all things wonderful then with kitchen twine tie the bird back together. I find it allows all the flavors to infuse the bird. I will cook half way this way then remove the twine and stretch out the bird for more even roasting.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, about 4lbs. preferably spatchcocked
1 1/2 cups mixed fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage, basil and parsley.
4-8 garlic cloves, smashed
2 lemons, 1 sliced and one halved
1 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/4 cup salted butter softened, divided
Kosher salt and Fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
- On a cutting board or in a roasting pan, spread open the chicken, skin side down. Season chicken cavity with salt and lots of turns of fresh ground pepper. place half the torn herbs and 2 Tablespoons salted butter in the cavity. Also add a half of the lemon and garlic, squeezed slightly. Tie up the bird. You can either let it sit on the counter, if not a hot day for 30-40 minutes or refrigerate it overnight.
- Preheat oven to 450. Drain the roasting pan of chicken fluids and drizzle with olive oil and rub outside with softened butter. Season outside of chicken with more salt and fresh ground pepper. Squeeze the other half of lemon over chicken and scatter lemon slices, herbs, and smashed garlic cloves all around.
- Place chicken in oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 425 and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add 1 cup white wine and pour over chicken. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and cut off twine. Flip bird over and open up to expose cavity. Place back in oven at 375 and continue to cook until an instant read thermometer reads 165. Basting every 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with natural juices.
