Lemon and Rosemary Roasted Chicken

A classic in our house, this recipe is something my mom taught me super early on. The method of high to low temp allows for the skin to get crispy while the low temp allows for the rest of the meat to cook slow and soft. Stuff any herbs inside or under the skin and chicken is instantly elevated. Hope you enjoy!

Yields- 5 people for dinner

Ingredients: 

• 5-6 pound roasting chicken-- I usually use Belle and Evans

• 1 lemon

• 4-5 sprigs of rosemary

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• salt

• pepper

• 1 Tbs of butter

Directions: 

Preheat your oven at 425 degrees. Start to rinse your chicken inside and out. Make sure to remove any excess fat and any leftover feathers. Pat the entire chicken dry, inside and out with paper towel. Very liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken, and stuff the inside with rosemary, lemon and garlic. Cut the lemon into 4ths, and as you place them in the chicken squeeze a few pieces on top of the chicken. 

Melt the butter and brush the outside of the chicken and sprinkle salt and pepper, pretty liberally as well. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and if you want to you can add any vegetables to roast under and around the chicken at this point. 

Let the chicken roast at 425 for about 20 min, and then turn the oven down to 350 and let roast for 1 - 1 1/2 hours (depending on the size). Check the temperature of the chicken, you want it around 170 degrees on the meat thermoeter. I take it out just under that and let it sit with foil to continue to cook with the internal heat of the meat. 

Carve and serve without the lemon and rosemary, but you will certainly taste the flavor of them in the meat.