Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken

Poultry

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins Source: cafedelites.com

Ingredients

Garlic + Butter = Garlic Butter
Olive oil
A touch of lemon
A hint of dry white wine (optional, but adds so much flavour to the meat while keeping it so juicy)
Rosemary
Parsley
4 pound (2kg) whole chicken, at room temperature, giblets and neck removed from cavity*
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine, (OPTIONAL)
1 lemon, halved
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 head of garlic, roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally through the middle crosswise
3 fresh whole rosemary sprigs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 430°F | 220°C (400°F or 200°C fan forced). Line a baking tray with foil, or lightly grease a roasting pan.
Discard the neck from inside the cavity and remove any excess fat and leftover feathers. Pat dry with paper towels.
Pour the olive oil, melted butter, wine (if using) and the juice of half a lemon over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity. Season the chicken liberally on the outside, and inside the cavity, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the parsley over the top.
Rub the minced garlic over the chicken, mixing all ingredients together on and under the skin.
Stuff the garlic head into the chicken cavity, along with the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halve. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
Place the chicken breast-side up into a baking tray or roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, basting half way through cooking time, until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
Baste again, then broil for a further 2-3 minutes, until golden.
Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve, drizzled with pan juices and the remaining lemon half, cut into wedges or slices.

Nutrition