March 28, 2024

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Recipes > Garlic Rosemary Roast Chicken

Garlic Rosemary Roast Chicken

Is the perfect roast chicken the true measure of a great cook? There are those who would say that mastering a roast bird is a true sign of greatness. And who am I to disagree? In my opinion, simplicity is the key to certain greatest – simple ingredients, basic preparation.

Many of us hold our roast chicken secrets extremely close to the vest. But for you, I’ll tip my hand just a little… since there’s really no secret to this delicious dish, just good ingredients. And it’s really my grandmother’s recipe – okay, the secret’s out.

GARLIC ROSEMARY ROAST CHICKEN

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pound roasting chicken, preferably free-range
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 4-6 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • Several sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Kitchen twine

Preparation

  1. Wash and pat dry your chicken. Use your fingers to loosen the skin on the breast. Tuck the wing tips under the first joint. This will prevent the wings from flopping loose and overcooking.
  2. In a min-pro or food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture forms a paste. (If you don’t have a processor, crush the garlic cloves, and finely chop the rosemary. Combine all of your ingredients in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil.)
  3. Slice the lemon in half and rub the outside of the chicken with the lemon halves. Insert the lemons into the cavity of the chicken.
  4. Quarter the onion and insert into the cavity. Insert a couple sprigs of rosemary and thyme into the cavity as well.
  5. Rub your garlic and rosemary paste all over the chicken. Use your fingers to tuck some of the paste under the skin of the breast.
  6. Tie the legs together with the kitchen twine.
  7. Set the chicken in a large shallow roasting pan.
  8. Roast the chicken for 55 to an hour and ten minutes. You can tell that the chicken is ready when the thigh juices run clear.
  9. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.