Sunday Herb Roast
Dinner Ideas
NotADrink

Sunday Herb Roast

Whole chicken stuffed with lemon, garlic, and three fresh herbs. 75 minutes in the oven.

Time
1 h 30 min
Makes
Serves 4
Difficulty
Medium
Weeknight Crowd

Method

1

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine softened butter, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

2

Pat the chicken dry. Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs with your fingers. Push half the herb butter under the skin. Rub the rest over the outside.

3

Stuff the cavity with the halved lemon and any remaining herb stems. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

4

Place breast-up on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 375°F and continue roasting 50-55 minutes, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.

5

Transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with foil. Rest 15 minutes.

6

While the chicken rests, make the pan sauce: pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the sheet pan. Set over medium heat. Add wine; scrape up the browned bits. Add stock; simmer 3-4 minutes until reduced by half. Remove from heat; whisk in cold butter. Season to taste.

7

Carve the chicken and serve with the pan sauce.

From the kitchen

Rest the bird 15 minutes before carving. The juices redistribute, and the meat is noticeably juicier. Skip this step and you lose a third of the moisture to the cutting board.

Story so far
A 4-pound bird feeds 4 generously. The herb butter is non-negotiable: a stick of butter mixed with minced garlic, lemon zest, chopped rosemary, thyme, and sage. We work half of it under the skin (loosen the skin with your fingers and push the butter down toward the meat) and rub the rest over the outside. The cavity gets a halved lemon and the remaining herbs. Roast on a wire rack over a sheet pan so the air circulates and the bottom skin crisps. The pan sauce is a quick deglaze with white wine, chicken stock, and a knob of cold butter swirled in at the end. Pour it into a small pitcher and serve alongside.