Perfect Weeknight Roast Chicken
The Perfect Weeknight Roast Chicken! Lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs are just a few of the fragrant aromatics that flavor the chicken, which is roasted to golden brown perfection. The perfect dinner!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper
- 1-2 small yellow onions, peeled and quartered
- 1 lemon, scrubbed and quartered
- 1 head garlic, halved with any loose papery skin removed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Rinse the chicken with cool water and dry as completely as you can with paper towels. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the chicken with the onions, lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs.
- Use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast meat carefully. Spread about half of the room temperature butter in between the skin and the breast meat, not minding if it's uneven (it will melt in the oven). Spread the other half of the butter over the top of the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- Truss the chicken or simply tie the legs. Your goal is to keep the chicken as compact as possible to encourage even cooking.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes. If the chicken browns too quickly, feel free to tent the chicken with tin foil. Ensure the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees when a thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh near the breast, making sure to not touch bone.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving warm.