My Favorite Herb Roasted Chicken
Roasted chicken with vegetables is a simple one-pan meal like grandma used to make.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 4-5 lbs
- 1 lemon
- zest from one lemon
- 4-5 garlic cloves give or take minced
- Grainy Dijon mustard
- fresh parsley sage, rosemary & thyme (sing it) I use about 1 tablespoon of each
- Extra-virgin olive oil about 1/3 cup 80 mL
- salt and pepper
- Assortment of root vegetables peel and chopped
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 450 ℉ (232C) Wash chicken in cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel.
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Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon. In a small bowl combine lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, grainy mustard, olive oil, and fresh herbs. Mix together.
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Carefully lift the skin away from the breast of the chicken. Place a heaping spoonful of the herb mixture under the skin to coat breast meat. Reserve 1 tablespoon and pour the remaining in the cavity of the chicken. Rub reserved mixture over the entire chicken. Place both lemon halves inside the cavity of the chicken.
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Tie legs together with a piece of twine and place in preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350℉ (176C). Arrange vegetables around chicken and continue to bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes OR until the temperature of the leg meat reaches 165℉ (74C). Allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Recipe Notes
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and bring the chicken up to room temperature. This will take at least an hour or more depending on the size of the chicken. If you go from the refrigerator directly to the oven, it will never cook evenly. For a perfectly browned chicken that is cooked evenly, you must bring the bird to room temperature. Remember crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Don't forget this important step.
- Let the bird rest for 10 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to settle into the meat. Cutting before the rest time will result in all the juices running out of the chicken and onto the cutting board, onto the counter, then into the floor. (voice of experience 🤦♀️)
- Place the chicken on a small rack lifting it for more even cooking.
- Season with herbs, garlic, and butter under the skin for the most flavor going directly into the meat. Gently lift the skin from the breast meat with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Don't tear the skin.
- Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. Temp should be at 165℉ and the juices should run clear.
- Start with a high temperature of 450℉ for the first 15 minutes, the lower to 350℉ for the remaining 75-90 minutes.