Roast Chicken, Simple

By McLean

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 3 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 (5 lb.) chicken, giblets removed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 17mins

Preparation

Step 1

TIP:
Very cold chicken won't roast evenly. Place it on the counter while preheating the oven. A heavy-duty, high sided roasting pan is essential for conducting heat evenly. Never substitute an cookie sheet. A broiler pan will work in a pinch, but the roast will inevitably be somewhat chewier. Let rest for 10 minutes after removing roast from the oven. Natural juices will reincorporate into the meat's fibers and the skin or crust will dry out slightly.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Place onion, garlic, tarragon and thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening. Pull the wings so the tips overlap on top of the breast; tie in place, wrapping string around the wings and body. Rub the chicken with oil salt and pepper. Set in a roasting pan, breast-side down.

Roast chicken for 25 minutes. Turn breast-side up and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touch bone, registers 175 degrees, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board; let ret for 10 minutes. Remove string before carving.