But after my first bite of that deliciously moist and flavor packed chicken I knew I had to try to make it for myself—kitchen fears weren’t going to hold me back anymore! So I left with recipe in hand that night and only two days later tried it for myself. It turned out beautifully.

The chicken itself is perfectly tender without a hint of dryness, and the lemon and herb paste that you brush on before roasting is absolutely divine. I’ve honestly never had better roast chicken in my life. This is one recipe that is definitely a must try!

 

Ingredients:

1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken

3 carrots, roughly chopped 1″ pieces

4 celery stalks, roughly chopped 1″ pieces

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme

1 large bunch of fresh sage

4 rosemary sprigs

Zest of 1 lemon

4 lemons (quartered)

1 garlic head, cut in 1/2 crosswise

1 cup white wine (good drinking white wine)

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

Twine (for tressing)

Herb Paste:

2 tablespoons chopped thyme

2 tablespoons chopped sage

2 tablespoons chopped rosemary

Zest of 1 lemon

Extra-virgin olive oil

 

Directions:

Remove the chicken giblets and discard or use for another purpose. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, discard towels. Toss carrots, celery, onions, and several sprigs of thyme on the bottom of a roasting pan. Add 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock.

Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the chicken w/ garlic halves and lemon quarters until cavity is full. With your hands, gently slide your fingers in-between the chicken skin and breast to loosen. Use about 1-2 tablespoons of the herb paste and spread under the chicken skin throughout the breasts.

Tress the chicken with twine, ensuring it is compact to ensure even roasting.   Rub the remaining paste all over the outside of the chicken (breast, legs, and thighs). Lightly season breast and legs with kosher salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 25 min or until the instant read thermometer reaches 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to rest; prepare the gravy (also known as au jus).  Using a slotted spoon, remove the roasted vegetables from the pan and place in a bowl.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Taste to determine if salt needs to be added, it may require about 1/2 tablespoon. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Plate in a wide-rimmed bowl, veggies and au jus on bottom, topped with chicken.

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Quick tip: This same herb paste roasting technique can be used for Turkey. Simply scale up the amount of ingredients based on how many pounds your turkey is.