There are few things as comforting to the mind, body, and soul as a chicken roasting away in the oven. My boys have been feeling a bit under the weather the past few days. It was too hot for soup, so I made them our favorite Sunday dinner instead. After eating like birds for two days, I knew they’d be hungry – and, I was right. It was a large roaster, and after all our tummies were full there remained only a small amount of thigh and breast meat. Was happy to see my boys hungry again! Leave it to a stick-to-your-ribs home-cooked meal to bring back their appetite!

Roasting the chicken at a relatively high temperature of 425 helps to ensure that the bird develops a golden brown skin, yet the meat underneath remains perfectly cooked and juicy. I stuff the cavity with citrus, mostly lemons – but I’ve been known to use oranges in a pinch too, and some fresh herb sprigs from my garden. Those fresh flavors really permeate the meat of the chicken, and produces a bird that is unparalleled – at least in my opinion! I’ll usually roast one chicken a week in the summer – just to pull the meat off the bones and keep in the fridge. It’s great for creating so many different quick and easy meals throughout the week, and much more affordable than buying a rotisserie chicken from the store.

 Print

Perfect Roasted Chicken

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 large bunch fresh rosemary
1 large bunch fresh sage
1 lemon, halved
2 Tbsp butter, melted

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 lemon and herbs. 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 chicken in a roasting pan or cast iron skillet.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Temperature in thickest part of thigh should register 165. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken, and place on a platter. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten