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Herb-Roasted Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "My Family Table" by John Besh


Recipe Introduction

"Herbs play a great role in elevating a roasted chicken, but too many varieties or too much of one kind can create herbal warfare. More is not better! After you carve and serve the chicken, make sure to save the chicken carcass and the drippings. Those bones with all their rich flavor are perfect for stock. And if you're not ready to make stock right away, just wrap the carcass well and freeze it. Pan drippings are pure gold. Any time you strain the liquid from the vegetables, you'll have equal proportions of fat and natural juice. Refrigerate that for a day, and the fat will solidify and rise to the top. Then remove the chicken fat and save it separately to use for making a roux or sautéing vegetables. The strained juices make a natural sauce for roast chicken, or add them to a soup for a great hit of flavor, or make a delicious pan sauce."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 (4-pound) whole free-range organic chicken
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 head garlic, halved
â—¦ 2 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦ Leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme, chopped
â—¦ Leaves from 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
â—¦ Leaves from 1 sprig fresh sage, chopped
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped
â—¦ 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
â—¦ 1 stalk celery, peeled and chopped
â—¦ Butcher's string


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Season the chicken cavity liberally with salt and pepper and stuff the halved head of garlic inside. Season the outside of the chicken with more salt and pepper, then slather on the olive oil. Scatter the chopped thyme, rosemary, and sage all over the chicken, letting the leaves cling to the oiled skin.

To truss the chicken, cut a length of butcher's string, four times longer than the chicken. Set the chicken on a board, breast side up. Find the middle of the string and slip it beneath the tail. Bring the ends of the strings up and across the tail, crossing the string over the ends of each drumstick from the inside. Loop around the drumstick once or twice and pull the string taut. Then turn the chicken over and cross the strings across the back of the chicken, centering one end over each wing. Turn the chicken over and pull the strings tight to secure the wings against the body. Tie the ends in a knot and cut off the excess string.

Scatter the onions, carrots, and celery in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan, then pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, over the bed of vegetables. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken breast registers an internal temperature of 150° F on a meat thermometer and the legs register 160° F. The skin should be dark amber and when you move the joint at the crease of the thigh, the juices should run clear. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 4