How to Roast a Chicken Perfectly Every Time

Few people can resist a golden, tender roast chicken. It’s the ultimate comfort food, and mastering the art of cooking the perfect roast is well worth doing, as it’s one of those never-fail meals that you know will always be enjoyed and savored. Master the art of cooking the perfect roast chicken and you’ll never be short of dinner guests!

Our recipe can be customized to suit your own tastes. Stuff the chicken with different garden herbs (parsley, rosemary, oregano or basil would all be good) or rub the skin with your favorite spices to create your own signature dish.

Ingredients

• 4-5 pound free-range or organic chicken
• 1 lemon, halved
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 4 marjoram sprigs
• 4 sage sprigs
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled, bruised
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using paper towels, pat chicken dry thoroughly.
3. Season cavity generously with salt and pepper then stuff with a 1/2 a lemon, herb sprigs, and garlic.
4. With chicken breast-side up, tuck wings under shoulders.
5. Wrap a 3-foot-long piece of string around legs twice and tie underneath. Pull up along insides of legs, so the string runs along the underside of breast. Loop over wings and tie tightly at back.
6. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Brush with butter and juice from 1/2 a lemon. Season to taste.
7. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, basting with juices and turning every 20 minutes, or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced.
8. Before carving, allow chicken to stand for 15-20 minutes — this gives the juices time to settle. Carve the breast meat in long thin slices, then remove the legs with the thighs and cut in half at the joint.

This recipe originally appeared on our sister site, Homes to Love.