ROASTED ROCKY FREE-RANGE CHICKEN

Roasted Rocky Free-Range Chicken image

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Time 1h30m

Yield Four servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 free-range chickens, about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds each
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 yellow Spanish onion, peeled and quartered
4 lemons, thinly sliced
4 6-inch sprigs tarragon
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted
2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/2 cup minced parsley leaves

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Stuff the cavity of each chicken with 4 cloves of the garlic, half an onion, 2 lemons and 2 sprigs of tarragon. Season with salt and peppercorns.
Lay the chickens, breast side down, on a rack over a small roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Baste continually with melted butter. After 30 minutes have elapsed, lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Continue basting until the meat is opaque at the bone, about 30 additional minutes.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Set the chickens aside for 10 minutes. Pour out the fat that has accumulated in the pan. Place the roasting pan on a burner over medium heat. Stir in the chicken broth and simmer until it reduces to 3/4 cup, about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain.
Cut the two chickens in half and divide among 4 plates. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with roasted potatoes.