A Plump Roast Chicken

By bakers_delight85

Ingredients

• 1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 small cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse the chicken, inside and out, and pat it dry. Remove and discard any excess fat. Carefully slide your fingers between the skin and the meat on the breast and thighs and tuck in the rosemary sprigs and the garlic. . Season the chicken well with salt and pepper inside the neck and body cavities and all over the skin. Tie the ends of the chicken legs together with kitchen string and place the chicken, breast side up, in a shallow flameproof roasting pan. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, uncover it, and let it sit for 1 hour to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Roast the chicken until a leg moves easily in its socket and the juices run clear when a thigh is pricked with a small knife, 45 to 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove and discard the excess fat from the pan and add the broth and lemon juice to the juices remaining in the pan. Place over medium-high heat and boil, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom, until the juices are reduced, about 2 minutes. Swirl in the butter, adjust the seasonings, if necessary, and strain the sauce into a small saucepan. Keep warm.
Remove the kitchen string and the rosemary sprigs and garlic from the chicken. Cut the chicken into serving pieces and place on a pretty platter. Pour the juice into a gravy boat for spooning over each serving, and serve.