Roast Chicken
/5-6 lb. roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Pepper
Large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half
1 apple, cut in slices
2 T. butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2” chunks
1 bulb fennel, tops removed, cut in wedges
Olive oil
Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat
and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside
of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and
all the garlic. If space, some apple slices as well. Brush the outside of the chicken
with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under
the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss
with salt, pepper and additional thyme sprigs and olive oil. Spread around bottom of
the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1½ 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
aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve.
Comment: