Poulet rôti aux herbes et citron

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 230°C conventional heat and place a rack in the lower-middle position. Pat the chicken completely dry inside and out with kitchen paper; dry skin browns faster and more evenly. Zest half the lemon, then cut the whole lemon into quarters. Lightly crush 5 garlic cloves. Strip the leaves from most of the thyme and finely chop enough rosemary for the herb butter.

2. 2

   Make the herb butter by mixing the softened butter with the lemon zest, thyme leaves, finely chopped rosemary, 1 finely grated garlic clove, 2 g fine sea salt, and 1 g black pepper until evenly combined.

3. 3

   Season the cavity of the chicken with a little of the 10 g salt and some of the 3 g pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon quarters, the crushed garlic cloves, and the remaining thyme and rosemary sprigs. This perfumes the meat from within while keeping the breast moist.

4. 4

   Carefully loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs without tearing it. Rub about two-thirds of the herb butter under the skin, then rub the remainder all over the outside. Season the exterior evenly with the remaining salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips under and tie the legs loosely for a compact shape that roasts evenly.

5. 5

   Place the chicken breast-side up in a small roasting tin or ovenproof skillet. Roast at 230°C for 15 minutes to start browning the skin, then reduce the oven to 200°C and add 80 ml water to the pan. Continue roasting for 25-30 minutes, basting once with the pan juices if the pan is not dry, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74°C and the juices run clear.

6. 6

   Transfer the chicken to a warm plate or board and rest for 10 minutes, uncovered. Resting allows the juices to redistribute so the meat stays succulent when carved.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, spoon off excess fat from the roasting tin if desired. Stir the pan juices over low heat for 1-2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits to make a light jus. Carve the chicken into halves or serving pieces, spoon over the jus, and serve immediately with some of the roasted lemon and softened garlic from the cavity if liked.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For a true 60-minute total, use a small young chicken around 1.2 kg; larger birds will need longer.
• •Drying the skin well and starting at high heat are the keys to crisp, deeply golden skin.
• •If the breast browns too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the final part of roasting.
• •Excellent with gratin dauphinois, green beans, or a simple salad dressed with Dijon vinaigrette.

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