Roasted Chicken

What could be more wholesome and down-home than a roasted chicken?  And although somewhat time intensive, it's a fairly easy process.  It just takes a little patience.  The result will be a juicy succulent chicken that's great for an after work meal or a special Sunday night dinner.  :o)

Ingredients:
1 whole roasting chicken (5-6 pounds)
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch rosemary
1/2 stick (4T) butter, softened (can sub margarine)
3 lemons, halved
2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Kosher salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make butter rub:  Strip approximately 1T each of thyme and rosemary off thick stalks and finely chop.  Mix herbs with softened butter in bowl and set aside.

Prep:  Remove chicken innards (can discard or pan fry separately if you're into organ meats).  Rinse chicken inside and out.  Remove any pin feathers and pat chicken dry.  Place the carrots, onion, celery, and one head of garlic in a large roasting pan.  Drizzle EVOO and juice of one half lemon over vegetables and toss to coat.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.  Gently separate the skin from the breast (but don't remove it) by sliding your fingers between the skin and breast and making a pocket.  Using your hands, spread some of the butter rub under the skin of the chicken.  For crispy skin, pat the outside of the chicken dry once more and then liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper.  For softer golden skin, rub some of the butter mixture all over the outside of the chicken and then liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Stuff one whole lemon, 1 head of garlic and a few springs of thyme and rosemary into the cavity of the chicken.  Tie legs together with kitchen twine, and tuck wings over themselves.

Cook:  Roast the chicken for one hour to an hour and a half or until a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the thigh registers 165 degrees (be careful to avoid the bone).  Slice and serve!

Optional Extras:  Serve your roasted chicken with some roasted potatoes and asparagus.  Clean veg and chop potatoes.  Place on a foil-lined sheet pan, and either drizzle all with EVOO or toss with any remaining herb butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.  Cook veg with the chicken for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.

Gravy, anyone?  Remove approximately two tablespoons of the chicken juices/fat from the roasting pan and place in a medium sauce pan.  Warm over medium heat and then sprinkle in approximately two tablespoons of flour.  Whisk continuously for three minutes to eliminate the flour taste.  Stir in 1 cup of white wine, and 1/2 cup of chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  If overly thick, add more chicken stock or wine a splash at a time.