Description
There is nothing quite like the heavenly aroma of perfect roast chicken!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large carrots, unpeeled, ends trimmed, halved
- 2 celery stalks, ends trimmed, halved
- 1 large onion, peeled, thickly sliced across
- 4–5 pound whole organic chicken
- 10 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 3 parsley sprigs
- 1 large lemon, quartered (reserve 1 quarter for gravy)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup water
- kosher salt
- cracked black pepper
Pan Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons gluten free flour or regular flour
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock, plus any strained pan drippings
- squeeze of lemon juice
- kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of the roasting pan and set carrots, celery, and onion making a veggie rack for the chicken.
- Rinse chicken, remove neck and giblets, pat dry, tuck wings under and set on veggie rack in roasting pan.
- Season cavity with salt and pepper then lightly stuff chicken with garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and two lemon quarters
- Truss the chicken or just tie the legs together with butcher string and set on top of veggie rack
- In a small bowl, mix 1 T olive oil, 1 T melted butter and juice from 1 quarter lemon then brush the bird with mixture
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and pour 1 cup of water on bottom of pan
- Roast for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until thermometer reaches 165F when stuck in thickest part of the thigh and the juices run clear
- Remove chicken and vegetables from roasting pan to platter. Let rest 20 minutes before carving
- If there are a lot of pan drippings, strain into a fat separator or 4 cup measuring cup
- Set roasting pan on top of the stove (if stove-top safe) at medium-high heat and add strained drippings, chicken broth, and a squeeze of lemon from remaining quarter. Bring to a low simmer, scraping up any brown bits. Use a medium pot if your roasting pan is not stove-top safe
- In a small pan or pot, over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook 2-3 minutes to make a blonde roux
- Whisk roux into broth a little at a time until your desired consistency.
- Season with salt, pepper and fresh chopped thyme
Notes
- Check chicken in 45 minutes to see if the pan is dry. Add a little warm chicken broth or water to the bottom of the pan (if needed), and rotate 180 degrees for even browning.
- Chicken is done when the thigh temperature is 165F. I like my chicken temp closer to 170F. It’s always super tender and moist as long as you let it rest 20-30 before carving.
- If you like your gravy thicker, just make a little more roux with equal parts butter and flour. Whisk into hot gravy until your desired thickness.