Ingredients
- Whole chicken (about 4 pounds, gizzards and neck removed)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh herbs, such as tarragon, chives and/or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place the rack in the middle of the oven.
- Place a roasting rack over a sheet pan or roasting pan and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and chopped herbs. Working carefully so as not to tear the skin, rub the butter underneath the skin on the breast of the chicken, as well as on the outside of the thighs and legs.
- Season the entire surface of the chicken well with salt and pepper.
- Cut a piece of butcher twine about 12-inches in length. Gather the legs of the chicken together and secure them using the twine; cut off and discard any excess. Fold the tips of the chicken’s wings underneath the breast to secure them in place.
- Transfer the trussed chicken to the roasting rack.
- Roast the bird undisturbed until a thermometer inserted into the crease between the breast and the leg registers 160 degrees, about 90 minutes.
- Let the cooked bird rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
Technique #1: Roasting Roasting is a dry heat cooking methods in which items are prepared through indirect heat application (meaning they’re not directly over the flame). Since they use the same technique, baking and roasting are often used interchangeably.
Technique # 2: Trussing Tying a string around a piece of meat before roasting it is known as trussing. This helps to secure the shape of a piece of meat so that it cooks evenly. While it's not an essential step, the finished product will look nicer, so it’s recommended for pieces of meat that may be presented whole before carving or slicing.
Tip #1: Any type of herb will do here, but the lighter flavor of the chicken will pair best with lighter herbs such as parsley, chives, tarragon, dill or basil. Dried herbs could also be used here.
Tip #2: The roasting rack is used to help heat circulate evenly around the bird while it is cooking. If you don’t have a roasting rack, make a small ring about the size of the chicken with a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and set the chicken on top of that.