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Roast Chicken · Herb Butter

Herb Butter Roast Chicken

A whole chicken rubbed under the skin with garlic-herb butter and roasted hot until the skin crackles. Leftovers make the best sandwiches and soup.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 15 min
Total
1 hr 50 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lb, giblets removed
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ tsp black pepper
  • 1 lemon, halved after zesting
  • 1 onion, cut into thick rounds

Herb butter

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Cook to 165°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position.
  2. Pat the chicken dry all over with paper towels, including inside the cavity.
  3. Mash the softened butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary and lemon zest together in a small bowl with a fork.
  4. Slide your fingers between the skin and the breast meat to loosen the skin, starting at the cavity end. Work gently so the skin doesn't tear.
  5. Push about two thirds of the herb butter under the skin and smooth it over the breasts and thighs from the outside. Rub the rest over the outside of the bird.
  6. Season the chicken all over with the salt and pepper. Tuck the lemon halves into the cavity.
  7. Tie the drumstick ends together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips behind the back.
  8. Lay the onion rounds in the middle of a roasting pan or large skillet and set the chicken on top, breast side up.
  9. Roast until the skin is deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) and the breast. Start checking at 60 minutes.
  10. Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest before carving so the juices settle.
  11. Carve the legs and thighs off first, then slice the breast meat. Spoon the pan juices over the top to serve.

Tip: Salt the chicken a day ahead and leave it uncovered in the fridge for even crisper skin. Skip the salt in step 6 if you do.

Tip: If the skin browns too fast before the meat is done, lay a loose sheet of foil over the breast.

Tip: Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it. Don't rinse raw chicken; it only spreads germs around the sink.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 3 days. Reheat until hot all the way through (165°F). Pull the leftover meat off the bones for soups, salads and sandwiches.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 790 calories · protein 59 g · carbohydrates 5 g · fiber 1 g · sugars 2 g · fat 59 g (saturated 21 g) · sodium 1,090 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.