Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes, plus 20 to let the chicken rest
Yields: 4 Serves
Ingredients:
1 (4-5 pound) small roasting chicken
freshly ground black pepper
½ bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
½ bunch tarragon
½ bunch basil
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons olive oil for chicken plus 1 tablespoon for the pan vegetables
½ large red onion, peeled and cut in ½
3 carrots
1 apple, cut in quarters
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat, leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
Stuff the cavity with the thyme, basil, tarragon, both halves of the lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the olive oil and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots and apple in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1-½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with parchment paper for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve.
Download the recipe PDF here.