Butter-Rubbed Roast Chicken With Roasted Garlic

By Grammie926

Basting chicken during cooking will keep the meat flavourful and succulent. Make sure to use only very fresh garlic; if the garlic has begun to germinate and has green sprouts inside do not use it, it will only turn out bitter.

Ingredients

• 4 lb (2 kg) whole chicken
• 6 whole sage leaves
• 4 heads of garlic
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter, chilled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2 Place chicken in a large baking dish. Loosen the skin covering the breasts and place 3 sage leaves on each breast. Place them evenly apart and fl at so that they are attractive once cooked. Replace skin to original position.

3 Slice the tops off the heads of garlic to expose the tips of the cloves. Place in baking dish cut-sides up. Drizzle olive oil over the heads of garlic.

4 Rub entire chicken with butter, putting a few small knobs under the skin of the breast, season bird generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Lower oven to 350°F (180°C). Continue to roast chicken until a meat thermometer registers 180°F (82°C) when placed into the deepest part of the chicken (in between the thigh and the breast), about 50 additional minutes depending on the size of the bird.

5 During the cooking time make sure to baste the chicken and garlic heads every 20 minutes by carefully spooning the melted butter overtop of both.

6 Once the chicken is cooked, let rest, covered with tin foil, for at least 15 minutes for the juices to settle. Slice chicken into pieces and serve with crusty bread smeared with roasted garlic.