Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

11 tablespoons (5 1/2 oz) salted butter (at room temperature)
Needles from 2 fresh rosemary sprigs (finely chopped)
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs
6 fresh sage leaves (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons (1 to 2 tablespoons) (preferably organic)
Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup (reserve the remaining zested lemon))
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
One (4-pound) whole chicken
Handful of mixed fresh herbsâ€"rosemary sprigs (thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and sage leavesâ€"tied in a bunch)
2 large (7 oz) carrots (halved lengthways)
2 large (12 oz) leeks (halved lengthways and cleaned)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Scant 1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon water
Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Scant 1 cup water
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Prep Time25mins
Cook Time90mins
Servings4

Instructions

Make the lemon and herb butter

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the herb butter until you have a smooth paste.

Make the chicken

Take the chicken and, starting at the neck end, gently ease the skin of the chicken away from the breast, taking care not to tear the delicate skin. Using your fingers, spread three-quarters of the butter paste as evenly as possible under the skin all over the breast and thighs, then gently pat the skin to even out the paste.

Cut the reserved lemon in half and add to the chicken cavity with the bunch of mixed herbs.

In a roasting pan, toss the carrots and leeks with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then arrange in a single layer.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetablesâ€"this will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and rub well all over. Pour in the wine and water and cover with foil.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and roast the chicken, removing the foil for the last 30 minutes, until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), 60 to 90 minutes. While cooking, baste the chicken with the juices from time to time.☞ TESTER TIP: If your bird is on the smaller side, remove the foil after 30 minutes of baking so that the chicken has a chance to take on some color.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and use a spatula to spread the remaining butter paste on top of the chicken to melt. Carefully move the chicken and vegetables to a cutting board and leave to rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

While the chicken is resting, make the gravy. In the roasting pan over high heat (or in a saucepan), combine the juices left in the roasting pan with the lemon juice and a scant 1 cup (200 ml) of water. Whisk in the flour and continue mixing until the gravy has thickened slightly.

Strain the gravy into a small jug or gravy boat, and serve with the roast chicken and vegetables.