Fresh Herb Roasted Chicken
I tried this recipe the other night and my family just loved it. It was fairly simple to make and surprisingly good. I imagine you could trade out the fresh thyme with other fresh herbs and it would be just as good.
1 whole chicken about 5 lbs.
¼ cup of softened butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon cut into quarters
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Loosen the skin from the breast without removing it and place chicken in roasting pan on a rack.
3. In a small bowl combine the butter, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
4. Rub about 2 tablespoons of butter mixture underneath the skin of the chicken and rub the remaining butter onto the top of the chicken.
5. Place quartered lemon and garlic into the cavity of the chicken and tie off the legs for baking.
6. Bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes or until juices run clear or internal temperature is 165 degrees.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.
