Lemon and Thyme Butter Roast Chicken

What you need

• 1.8 kg (4 lb) whole chicken, giblets removed
• 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, for the butter
• 1 whole garlic head, halved across the middle
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 min before roasting.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F).

3. 3

   Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, inside the cavity as well as on the skin.

4. 4

   Strip the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs and mash them into the butter with the chopped garlic.

5. 5

   Slide your fingers under the breast skin to loosen it, then push about half of the butter underneath and spread it over the meat.

6. 6

   Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the bird.

7. 7

   Season the chicken generously with the salt and pepper, inside and out.

8. 8

   Fill the cavity with the lemon halves, the head of garlic and the remaining thyme sprigs.

9. 9

   Tie the legs together with kitchen string and fold the wing tips under the body.

10. 10

    Set the chicken breast side up in a roasting pan and roast for 70-80 min, spooning the pan juices over it halfway. If the skin darkens too fast, lay a loose sheet of foil over the breast.

11. 11

    Check the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer: it must read 74 °C (165 °F), and the juices should run clear.

12. 12

    Move the chicken to a board, tent it loosely with foil and rest it for 15 min.

13. 13

    Carve and serve with the pan juices spooned over.

Imported from dinneratthezoo.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.