Lemon Roasted Chicken

Nothing makes me feel like I’ve mastered the art of adulting like roasting a whole chicken.  It’s an all day affair that ends with a fluffy pile of mashed potatoes and beautiful, juicy chicken with perfectly crispy skin.  It has the power to turn a Tuesday night into a family holiday.  and the best part: it takes very little effort.

Using this recipe, the smell of the chicken mixed with lemon and white wine is intoxicating.  Spencer (my dog) is known to stick around the kitchen while i cook, but whenever i make this chicken, he will lay by the oven the entire time it bakes... and there is the dog’s opinion that you didn’t know you needed :)

For Asher and I, this is plenty to have for dinner one night and then i use the leftovers to make chicken salad or add to some soup.  There is so much you can do with leftover chicken! 

This time, i served it with peppery mashed potatoes and lemony broccolini.  So so good! 

• 1 medium roaster chicken
• 4 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
• 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• White wine

1. Zest and juice the lemon
2. Finely chop the garlic
3. Whisk together the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper together
4. Place the chicken in a baking pan breast side up, loosen the skin from the meat of the breasts and legs, and rub 3/4 of the butter mixture beneath the skin
5. Use the remaining butter mixture to rub over the outside of the skin
6. Use twine to tie the legs together and tuck the wings beneath the body
7. Place the chicken in the fridge uncovered for 4-8 hours
8. Remove any juices that accumulate in the pan and cover the bottom of the pan with white wine (about an inch deep)
9. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes - 2 hours at 400 degrees until the meat is cooked through and the skin is crispy (chicken should reach a temperature of 170 degrees)