Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, refrigerated
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1 Tbs. dried sage
1 Tbs. dried rosemary
1 Tbs. dried thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 4-6 pound roasting chicken
1 small onion
1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
Salt and pepper
1 Cup chicken broth or stock

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.

Combine the butter and herbs in a food processor until the herbs are incorporated into the butter.  Loosen the skin on the top and bottom of the chicken and spread the herb butter underneath the skin all over the chicken.  Save a tablespoon or two of the butter to put on the top of the breast before roasting.  Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken.  Cut the onion, carrots and celery into large chunks and insert inside the cavity of the chicken.  If you have fresh herbs (some or all of the ones used in the butter), tuck those into the cavity of the chicken as well.  Tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath.

Place the prepared chicken in a roasting pan breast side up.  Spread the remaining herbed butter on the breast side of the chicken.  Pour the chicken broth or stock into the bottom of the pan.  Place the chicken in the 500 degree oven for 15 minutes then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.  Cook the chicken at 350 degrees until the juices run clear, about an hour and half depending on the size of your chicken. 

*Alternatively, you can remove the backbone from the chicken and press on the breast to flatten it out. Season the same way, but place the opened-up chicken on a rack on a jelly roll plan and skip the chicken broth. Cooking time will be slightly less.

I recommend using an external digital meat thermometer.  If you have one, cook the chicken to 175 degrees.  Let the chicken rest outside the oven under a foil tent, for 15 minutes before cutting.

The broth in the roasting pan can be used to make gravy if you like!