3 Videos | Photo: Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
- 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
- Olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
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By tammymanno_11361741
kingwood, TX
on May 12, 2013
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AWESOME!! this roasted chicken is totally amazing! i made it as directed and there was none left. my family loved it and i'll be making it again and again.
By vldunbar
on May 08, 2013
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Delish! Tender! I didn't use the fennel, but added lots of green beans. YUMMMMM!!!
By Chef #816552
West Coast of US
on April 30, 2013
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Finger-licking perfection! I had a 3.8 lb. "Mary's" free range, air cooled chicken (Whole Foods, $11.50, worth every penny! Because of the low weight, I roasted at 425 for 15 minutes, then turned it down to 375 for 1 hour. When the skin turned dark brown, I tented with a small piece of foil. It tested at 165 degrees. Let it rest for 30 minutes, and it was still steaming hot, juices just poured out when I cut into it.
I added 1/2 cup each of Noily Prat dry vermouth & unsalted, fat free chicken stock to the bottom of the pan. One of the very best chickens I've ever eaten. Thank you, Ina!
Update 4/29/13: Made it again, this time with a 4.8 lb. chicken, Roasted it for 1 hr. 15 mins at 425... using the Roast setting, it was slightly overdone. 1 hour is probably enough at this temp and weight. Will try again using the "Roast" setting for the last 30 mins. of cooking, as the broiler is on.
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