How to Roast a Chicken
Learn how to roast a chicken with these clear step by step instructions and photos. This simple roast chicken recipe will become a staple in your home.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken about 2 1/2 pounds
- 1 Lemon
- 2 Shallots
- 2 tablespoon Butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- about 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup White Wine
- For the gravy:
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 tablespoon Flour
- Pan Drippings
- Chicken Broth if you need to thin the gravy
Instructions
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Heat your oven to 500 degrees. Then remove the chicken from the bag. If there are giblets in the inside of the cavity of the chicken, remove those (I just throw them away).
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Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken, and then pat it dry with paper towels.
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Next, chop the lemon and shallot and stuff them inside the chicken.
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Use butcher's twine or folded up aluminum foil to tie the drumsticks together so that the lemon and shallot stays inside the chicken.
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Then rub the butter all over the chicken.
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Sprinkle a generous amount of salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary over the top.
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Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Pour 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and 1/2 cup of white wine around the chicken.
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If you have an in oven thermometer, insert it in the thigh above the drumstick.
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Place the chicken in the oven on the center rack.
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After 20 minutes cover the chicken with foil, and 10 minutes after that reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
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Let the chicken roast for another hour or so until it reaches 165 degrees, periodically check to make sure that there is a layer of liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan, add chicken broth as necessary.
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Take the chicken out of the oven and out of the roasting pan, and place it on a cutting board to rest.
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To make the gravy, scrape up any of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Then pour all of the drippings through a strainer and into a glass container. Set aside. In a small saucepan, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in a tablespoon of flour. Next, use a baster to suck up all of the juices below the line of fat that will rise to the top. Whisk in the juices and bring to a simmer and let thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the gravy is too thick, thin it with a bit of chicken broth.
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Carve the chicken and serve it with the gravy.
