Perfect Roasted Chicken With Fresh Herbs & Lemon

A plump, beautifully browned chicken, fragrant with rosemary, thyme and lemon, is an entrée that’s always welcome. The secret to success is an herb-shallot butter rubbed under the skin to the bird moist. Be careful not to tear the skin as you rub on the butter mixture (which should be at room temperature)

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh rosemary
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh thyme
• 1  shallot, minced
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 (3 1/2lb)  roasting chickens, giblets removed
• 1  large lemon
• 2  garlic cloves, unpeeled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F In a small bowl, mash together butter, rosemary, thyme shallots, ½ teaspoon of salt and the pepper. With your fingers, rub butter under skin around legs and breast of chicken.
2. With fork, prick lemon in several places. Rub cavity of chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and place the lemon and the garlic in the cavity. With kitchen string, tie legs together . Lift wings up towards the neck, the fold wing tips back of chicken so wings stay in place. Sprinkle remaining ½ teaspoon of salt over the chicken.
3. Place chicken, breast-side up, on rack in 9x13-inch backing pan. Roast for 50 minutes, basting frequently with pan drippings, until chicken is cooked through and richly browned.
4. Transfer chicken to platter or carving board. Pour pan drippings from backing pan into a gravy separator. Pour 1 cup water or chicken broth into backing pan and stir with a whisk to scrape up any browned bits. Pour deglazed juices into gravy separator. Pour off fat and serve chicken with degreased pan gravy.