Roast Chicken Recipe

Preheat the oven: This recipe starts at 475°F (245°C) for 10 minutes, then drops to 375°F (190°C) for the remainder of the cooking time. See Notes

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (time allowing). Remove the neck and giblets, pat the entire chicken dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and black pepper.

Melt four tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, juice from one lemon, three tablespoons of fresh minced herbs (any combination of oregano, rosemary, thyme, and rosemary), and three cloves of minced garlic. Mix well to combine.

Chop the vegetables and add them to a large 7.5-quart Dutch oven, roasting pan, rimmed baking sheet, or cast iron skillet. Smash the remaining garlic gloves with a large chef’s knife and add them to the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of garlic herb butter.

Pour half of the remaining prepared garlic herb butter over the surface of the chicken. Use your hands to rub the butter and herbs over the entire surface and inside of the chicken. Note: The garlic herb butter will naturally solidify when poured over the chicken, especially if the chicken is cold.

Stuff the chicken with a few carrots and the quartered lemon. Gently separate the skin from the breast meat and carefully stuff the remaining half stick of butter under the skin. Tie the legs together using kitchen twine.

Place the chicken, breast-side-up, in the Dutch oven directly on top of the vegetables. Pour any remaining garlic herb butter over the vegetables and chicken.

Roast uncovered for 10 minutes at 475°F (245°C), then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue to cook (tented with foil) for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes (or approximately 20 minutes per pound), basting at least once or twice throughout cooking. Tip: Remove the foil in the last 15-20 minutes for golden brown crispy skin.

The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees Fahrenheit, as measured with a digital meat thermometer. Note: The chicken will continue to cook an additional 5-10°F after it is removed from the oven.

Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with pan juices and garnished with fresh minced parsley, if desired.