Classic Roast Chicken

I came across a recipe in Cooking Light's magazine that inspired me to blog about this classic entree.  I added a little more butter and olive oil than their recipe calls for, plus I tweaked it a touch more.  Because our oven is so old I added on another 30 minutes cooking time to the 350 degree temperature.  Be prepared to turn on your vent; the high-heat finishing may generate some smoke.  I make this a few times a month and the family loves it. The chicken comes out moist and juicy on the inside and beautifully golden brown and crispy on the outside.  I usually serve this with a green vegetable or salad and baked potato.  This is so easy and the leftover carcass makes a mean chicken stock.  


1 - 4 lb whole roasting chicken
4 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
4 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 - 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, minced or fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp garlic powder
zest of 1 lemon
juice of a half a lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 small shallot peeled and halved
3 fresh thyme sprigs or rosemary sprigs
1 lemon, quartered


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Discard giblets and neck from chicken.  Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers or a knife, gently pushing between skin and meat.  Combine in a small bowl butter, olive oil, thyme or rosemary, paprika, coriander, garlic powder, zest of a lemon and salt and pepper to taste.  Rub mixture under loosened skin, over flesh; rub over top of skin as well.  You can ties the ends of legs with twine, but that's not necessary.  Also, you can lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken.  Place chicken breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.  Place shallots, herb sprigs and a quarter or two of lemon in cavity of chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees (do not remove chicken); bake at 450 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in a meaty part of leg registers 165 degrees.  Remove chicken from oven.  Cover chicken with foil; let stand 10 - 15 minutes.  Carve chicken and serve immediately.