Poulet Rôti (Roast Chicken)

Ingredients

• 1 (4 lb)  roasting chickens (at least 4 pounds preferred)

• 2-3 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1-2 teaspoon rosemary
• 2-3 teaspoons garlic powder or 2  fresh garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4-1 teaspoon salt
• olive oil (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. 2

   Rinse and pat chicken dry.

3. 3

   If your chicken has a neck and giblets, put them in a small pot, cover with water and a little onion (dry onion or powder work too) and carrots if you have them and a little the same herbs used in the chicken, bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour, strain this and use for your gravy for extra flavor - you can also cook in canned low sodium chicken broth, for more flavor.

4. 4

   Mix together all your herbs and spices, rub together with your fingers or if you have a mortar and pestle, grind them a few times to blend.

5. 5

   Gently lift the skin from either side of the breast and using your finger push some of the herb mix under each side.

6. 6

   Turn over the chicken and make a small slit behind each thigh and push some herb mix under the thigh skin (this step is optional, but it makes the thighs extra tasty).

7. 7

   Place you chicken in a roasting pan that has been sprayed or lightly oiled, if roasting a single chicken, a cast iron frying pan is perfect for this.

8. 8

   If using the olive, rub or drizzle over the chicken then, rub or sprinkle extra herb mix all over the outside of the chicken (do this even without the oil, a little extra salt and pepper in the cavity is also a good thing.

9. 9

   You have 2 options, #1 - turn the chicken breast side down on a rack that has also been sprayed or oiled, half way through cooking turn breast up; #2 - cook the entire time breast up, the breast skin usually tears for me so I do #2, but #1 can make the breast meat a little moister.

10. 10

    Roast for 1 3/4 - 2 hours or until chicken register 180 degrees on your meat thermometer, be sure and poke a thick part of the chicken meat and don't get too near the bone. Length of time will vary with chicken size.

11. 11

    Check chicken at an hour and a half, herbs and spice on top are getting too dark loosely tent top with a piece of foil (spray first).

12. 12

    When done, place chicken on platter and let rest for 5- 10 minutes while you make the gravy. Drain off excess fat and make your gravy.

13. 13

    NOTE: Some people like to tie the legs together with kitchen twine, it does look nicer but I never bother.