Jills Herb Roasted Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Pat the chicken dry; generously season the skin and inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 4 hours or overnight to dry out the skin. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mash the butter with the chopped thyme and chopped rosemary in a small bowl. Gently slide your fingers under the chicken skin on the breasts and legs to loosen it. Scoop some of the herbed butter with a spoon; slide the spoon under the skin and hold the skin in place while you remove the spoon. Smooth the skin to distribute the butter. Repeat with the remaining butter.
• Squeeze a lemon half into the cavity of each chicken, then stuff the lemon half inside. Stuff 1/2 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 thyme sprig and 1/2 rosemary sprig into each chicken cavity. Tie the legs together with twine. Set a rack in a large roasting pan; put the chicken on the rack and roast 25 minutes. Toss the scallions, tomatoes, olive oil and a large pinch of salt in a bowl, then add to the roasting pan. Remove the twine from the chicken and continue roasting until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 170 degrees F, about 50 more minutes.
• Transfer the chicken and vegetables to platters and let rest about 10 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Combine herb leaves and garlic with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor, pouring in oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in zest; season with pepper.
• Place chicken on a cutting board. Tuck wing tips under. Season cavity with salt and pepper. Place lemon halves and herb stems in cavity. Make two 1 1/2-inch slits in each leg and thigh. Loosen skin from breasts with your fingers. Rub paste all over chicken, into slits and under skin. Tie legs with kitchen twine. Refrigerate chicken, covered, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or roasting pan in oven 15 minutes. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Carefully place it in the skillet in the oven, breast side down. Roast 15 minutes. Turn chicken onto its side; roast 10 minutes. Turn onto other side; roast 10 minutes. Turn chicken onto its back; roast until golden brown and juices run clear or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175 degrees. about 20 minutes.
• Lift chicken so that juices run into skillet; transfer chicken to a platter. Cover chicken loosely with foil; set aside. Pour off fat from skillet, leaving juices; discard fat. Heat juices over medium-high heat. Slowly add wine, stirring to loosen the browned bits. Bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Serve chicken with the pan sauce.