Entrée: France – Poulet Rôti (Roast Chicken)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 1 hr 5 min

Additional 15 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, about 3.5 lb (1.6 kg)
1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (5 g) black pepper
4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh rosemary leaves
1 lemon
4 cloves garlic
1 onion
3 carrots
3 celery stalks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the chicken dry and season the cavity with salt and pepper.
2. Stuff the cavity with halved lemon, a few garlic cloves, and sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Truss the legs.
3. Rub the skin with softened butter, then season generously with salt and pepper and tuck some herb sprigs under the skin.
4. Place roughly chopped onion, carrots, and celery in a roasting pan, set the chicken on top breast-side up.
5. Roast 50–70 minutes (depending on size) until an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C) and the skin is golden and crisp.
6. Rest 10–15 minutes before carving; use pan juices for a simple gravy if desired.