POULET RôTI (ROAST CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Rinse and pat chicken dry.
• If your chicken has a neck and giblets, put them in a small pot, cover with water and a little onion (dry onion or powder work too) and carrots if you have them and a little the same herbs used in the chicken, bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour, strain this and use for your gravy for extra flavor - you can also cook in canned low sodium chicken broth, for more flavor.
• Mix together all your herbs and spices, rub together with your fingers or if you have a mortar and pestle, grind them a few times to blend.
• Gently lift the skin from either side of the breast and using your finger push some of the herb mix under each side.
• Turn over the chicken and make a small slit behind each thigh and push some herb mix under the thigh skin (this step is optional, but it makes the thighs extra tasty).
• Place you chicken in a roasting pan that has been sprayed or lightly oiled, if roasting a single chicken, a cast iron frying pan is perfect for this.
• If using the olive, rub or drizzle over the chicken then, rub or sprinkle extra herb mix all over the outside of the chicken (do this even without the oil, a little extra salt and pepper in the cavity is also a good thing.
• You have 2 options, #1 - turn the chicken breast side down on a rack that has also been sprayed or oiled, half way through cooking turn breast up; #2 - cook the entire time breast up, the breast skin usually tears for me so I do #2, but #1 can make the breast meat a little moister.
• Roast for 1- 11/2 hours or until chicken register 180 degrees on your meat thermometer (if you use a larger chicken adjust time accordingly), be sure and poke a thick part of the chicken meat and don't get too near the bone. Length of time will vary with chicken size.
• Check chicken at an hour, herbs and spice on top are getting too dark loosely tent top with a piece of foil (spray first).
• When done, place chicken on platter and let rest for 5- 10 minutes while you make the gravy. Drain off excess fat and make your gravy.
• NOTE: Some people like to tie the legs together with kitchen twine, it does look nicer but I never bother.
• I've been know to roast chicken anywhere from 375-450 degrees, 400- 425 is my norm, I decide what to use based on my schedule of when I need to put it in the oven. Lower temp mean slightly longer cooking time.