Recipe Creation: Perfect Herb Roasted Chicken

I made this chicken for Christmas dinner and it was a total hit.  Chicken can get a bad rap for being boring or dry and this recipe is neither!  The preparation is pretty straightforward and foolproof, yet it looks and tastes surprisingly impressive.  The key is in the basting- it keeps the bird nice and juicy and makes the skin ultra crispy.  This is a perfect staple to have in your back pocket.  Serve with roasted root vegetables and a kale salad and you have yourself a perfect winter meal!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lb organic whole chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt & ground pepper
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 peeled yellow onion
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 3 sprigs thyme

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
-Wash and dry the chicken and rub all sides with olive oil.
-Place the chicken breast side up on a roasting dish.
-Season the inside and outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
-Stuff the cavity with the lemon & onion and a sprig each of rosemary and thyme.
-Next, pull the leaves off the remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs.
-Carefully push your fingers under the chicken skin to loosen and make a pocket.
-Put the remaining herbs under the chicken skin and distribute evenly.
-Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with the juices in the pan.
-Remove chicken when the skin is nice and crispy and the thermometer reaches 180 F.
-Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then transfer to a platter.
-Pour 1/2 cup boiling water into the roasting pan & loosen any brown bits with a spoon.
-Pour the rich juices from the pan into a gravy boat and serve alongside the chicken.