Roasted Chicken with Herbs

"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." - Julia Child

Fixing this meal today got me in the mood to watch Julie & Julia. That is such a good movie! I love Julia Child. Such an incredible woman. I've also been reading through her book, My Life in France. Such an interesting read! I love to cook so much, but sometimes I get caught up in everyday things and don't enjoy cooking as much as I know I truly do. But reading parts of her book (or watching that movie) always re-sparks that passion that I know lies within me. As simple as this meal was, I had a lot of fun fixing it!

I don't know why I don't cook a whole chicken more often. I got a 5.43 pound chicken for $5.38! $5.38!!! For $5.38, the two of us can get at least two dinners out of the chicken, PLUS chicken soup or stock from the carcass! It is such a good deal, I feel like a fool for not doing this more often! It is an excellent option to cook a delicious, inexpensive meal for your family, or can very easily be presented as an elegant dish for a dinner party!

Not only is it such an incredible deal to buy and cook a whole chicken, but it is SO DELICIOUS! Oh my this was quite a delectable treat! This is probably one of the simplest meals I've ever made. It takes very little to prepare the chicken, and then you just have to be patient while it roasts in the oven! The worst part is having your house fill up with the incredible smell of roasting chicken and listening to the crackle and pop of the juices as it cooks. I couldn't help but keep running to the kitchen to turn the oven light on to look at the chicken. I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning!

I followed the recipe just as it is listed, except I added one little thing. When I was dusting the chicken with salt and pepper just before it went in the oven, I also brushed the chicken with some olive oil. I mean, who are we kidding? Everything tastes better with a little olive oil. And boy was this chicken so good! The skin had just the right amount of crisp to it, the meat was incredibly juicy and tender, the flavor was superb!

I will definitely be using the carcass to make a chicken soup, and will post that recipe when I do it this week. I have roasted a whole chicken before and always threw away the carcass, but if I have access to the whole bird then I would like to use as much of it as possible. Keep an eye out for that post!

Roasted Chicken with Herbs
He Said Beer, She Said Wine: Impassioned Food Pairings to Debate and Enjoy
Published by DK Publishing in 2008.

1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
3-6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 fresh rosemary springs, chopped
1 whole chicken (6-8 lbs)
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl soften up the butter, and then blend in the garlic, basil, and rosemary. Set aside.
2. Rinse the chicken and wash your hands thoroughly. Using your fingers, gently find the separation between skin and breasts, and carefully lift the skin to access the breast meat. Do not tear or fully detach the skin.
3. With your fingers, spread the butter mixture under the skin, covering all accessible meat surfaces. Replace skin and dust the chicken with salt and pepper.
4. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes per pound (plus an additional 20 minutes), basting periodically, or until an internal temperature of the breast reaches 160°F, and the thigh reaches 170°F. Allow chicken to cool for about 10 minutes before carving and serving.