Grandma’s Herb Roasted Chicken
Julia Child was famous for her roast chicken, but, frankly, I think my grandmother’s recipe — with a few minor tweaks — is notably better. Maybe it’s because whenever my family makes this recipe we’re always lingering around the dinner table a little bit longer than usual. Or, instead, maybe it’s the crispy skin that all of us fight over. Well, whatever the secret ingredient is, it really works!
While there may be an immediate aversion to using a compound butter, we promise, there’s good reason for that! Making a compound butter makes the prep work dramatically easier in a few ways. It allows you to use herbs when they are fresh and in season, making that final product even better. Also, you can make a larger batch of compound butter and freeze it until you need it. In my family, we use the same butter on grilled corn in the summer or on top of baked potatoes — so it’s extremely versatile!
Without further ado, here’s our tasty recipe for Herb Roasted Chicken:
Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- ½ cup of unsalted butter, room temperature, or very soft
- 1 cup sherry or dry white wine
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoons of Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoons freshly-ground black pepper
Making Compound Butter
1. In a small saucepan, allow the wine, garlic, and shallot to simmer until reduced to around 1 tablespoon.
2. Allow wine reduction to cool.
3. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment, whip the butter to make it light and very soft.
4. Incorporate the wine reduction and remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined.
5. Refrigerate until butter is reformed and solid — you can also roll the butter in plastic film if you would like a “prettier” final result.
Roast Chicken Ingredients
- 3-4 pound roasting chicken
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped and stems reserved
- 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves, chopped and stems reserved
- Olive oil
- Salt + pepper, to taste
There’s something so magical about a whole roasted chicken….
Making Roasted Chicken
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees or 400 convection
2. Rinse chicken, inside and out, and remove giblets if necessary; then, pat the skin dry.
3. Working slowly and carefully, spread compound butter underneath the skin of the chicken, be sure to not tear the skin.
4. Place thyme and marjoram leaves under skin and stems in the cavity. Liberally apply olive oil to the outside of the chicken and season skin on all sides with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Arrange chicken on a roasting pan and place in preheated oven.
6. After 1 hour, check chicken with a thermometer. To be sure, the thickest part of the breast should read about 165 degrees or the juice from the thigh should run clear.
7. When chicken is done, remove from oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
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