I’m currently sitting in a Chicago coffee shop after a night spent enjoying lasagna and red velvet cake with friends. I made the drive down yesterday – something I haven’t done in the better part of a year.
Before leaving, I did something else I hadn’t in ages – roasted a chicken! I used to do this fairly regularly, roasting it one day to eat off of for the week. Not rocket science or even an entirely new idea, but genius nonetheless.
One of the biggest struggles I’ve discovered in living with someone and in working from home is what the heck do we eat?! Seth is a big, Midwestern guy with a big, Midwestern appetite. He likes meat and potatoes with a side of meat and potatoes. Whereas I, on the other hand, ate the same salad every day behind the bar for nearly two years. We only get a few dinners together per week, so I feel the desire to make sure we eat good meals when we have the opportunity to share them.
We’re slowly figuring it out. I have three soups frozen and portions of lasagna wrapped in foil for him to take to work. I’ve even given up the reins a few times and let Seth make spaghetti or stroganoff (he seriously makes the best and I will def be sharing it soon!) when I'm too slammed with work.
I’ll definitely be adding roasting a chicken into our weekly dinner routine. The prep is minimal, the results are stunning, and the leftovers are delicious! Plus, I always toss a smaller batch of oven roasted veggies into the pan to cook along with the chicken. Protein, starch, and veggies all coming out of the same pan at the same time?! Sign me up!
An herby and flavorful butter rub makes for the crispiest skin and juiciest meat on this oven roasted chicken. Feel free to switch up the herbs you use or the veggies that cook alongside the bird to suit your tastes. Be sure to save the carcass for delicious homemade stock!
Butter Rubbed Roasted Chicken
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 – 75 minutes
- Total Time: 85 – 100 minutes
- Yields: 1 whole bird + fixings
Ingredients:
- Roaster chicken, roughly 5 pounds
- 12 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- Two lemons, zested and halved
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary, plus 4 sprigs
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 pounds mixed chopped vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower
Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper or tinfoil. Rinse the chicken in cool water and be sure to remove the innards packet, if your chicken contains it. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before placing in prepared pan. Truss the chicken however you like – I follow this tutorial (or don’t if you don’t feel like it, I’m not the boss of you). In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, lemon zest, herbs, garlic, and onion powder. Liberally sprinkle the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper before rubbing with butter mixture. Work your hands under the skin to ensure even distribution of the buttery goodness. Place the lemon halves, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves inside of the chicken. Toss the veggies in olive oil, salt and pepper before distributing around the sides of the pan. Bake chicken in preheated oven for 60 – 75 minutes, or until internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 on an instant read thermometer and juices are running clear.* Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest for five minutes before slicing and serving with those perfectly cooked veggies!
*Cook time will vary based on the size of the chicken – a smaller bird will cook faster, so check it after 45 minutes. Also, leaving the cavity empty will decrease the cooking time, but you’re missing out on flavor and moisture from those aromatics! If you find that the skin is browning too quickly while the bird cooks, tent it with tinfoil to prevent burning.
· by Amanda Gajdosik