Raving Roast

I just made the best roasted chicken ever! It was sooo good and smelled just so wonderful that I didn't get a full shot of the whole chicken (and this recipe is definitely worth posting without a perfect picture to accompany it... that's how good it is). Below is a picture of one of the legs. Even Joseph enjoyed it.

His exact words as he's chomping down... "Whoa, this is really good!" For Joseph this is huge. For him to verbalize his like for a dish just made my evening. Usually he just requests it again a while later... he doesn't normally comment on the dish right away... as he's eating it! :) Score for me!

Source: Culinary Infatuation



Lemon Thyme & Rosemary Roasted Chicken

• 1 31/2 -4 lb chicken rinsed, patted dry and giblets removed

Cavity:

• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 whole lemon halved (juice reserved)
• 1 onion quartered
• 6 garlic cloves
• salt and pepper

Stuff cavity with all ingredients and tie legs together with butcher twine

Rub:

• 1 sprig thyme and 1 sprig rosemary leaves removed
• juice of lemon
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 TBS. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1tsp. pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock

Put all ingredients in processor and blend thoroughly. Massage into bird making sure to get under the skin. Put bird in roasting pan add stock* and roast for 30 minutes breast side up.

Turn chicken and roast another 35-40 minutes breast side down. Cover with foil for the next 10-15 minutes so skin does not overcook. When thickest part of thigh reads 180 on a meat thermometer the bird is ready.

Take out of oven put on carving board to rest for 15 minutes. (cover with foil to retain heat.)

* The reason why I bold this is because I didn't see this step and included it in the "rub" for the chicken. What I ended up with was a half solid/half liquid mess that turned out pretty good. My butter was cold so the rub was pretty stiff. I used the liquid part to pour over the whole chicken after putting the rub under the skin. I also added EVOO on top of the skin with some salt and pepper.