Herb Roasted Chicken
By Bob Skolnick Photography by Marty Snortum Studio

Roasting has been one of the most important methods of cooking poultry for centuries. Roasting allows the juices and flavors to remain in the bird and provides for a crispy and tasty skin. There are several schools of thought on how to roast a chicken. You can brown it on the stove top in a sauté pan and then place it into an oven with even heat of 350 degrees (which I prefer), or you can place it in a very hot oven of 450 degrees and brown it at the start of the cooking process then turn the temperature down. There is risk in the second method as turning down an oven does not mean it responds to a temperature reduction immediately and you can overcook the bird.

Roast Chicken with Fine Herbs (Serves 4, 1/2 chicken per person)
2 each roasting chickens –
average weight 2 1/2 lbs
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine – Chablis or Chardonnay
1 cup chicken stock
2 each Spanish onions, medium –
peeled and chopped coarse
6 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
1 pkg fresh rosemary
1 pkg fresh thyme
1 pkg fresh sage
1 pkg fresh chives
2 tbsp dried leaf thyme
Garlic salt, pepper, paprika

To Prepare
1. Rinse chicken thoroughly inside and out in cold running water. In a stainless steel mixing bowl, add the olive oil and a tablespoon each of garlic salt, finely ground black pepper, paprika and dried leaf thyme. Mix together thoroughly. With your hands, rub the mixture on the inside cavity of the bird and on the outside of the bird. Take the chopped onion and crushed garlic and combine with the sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. Stuff the mixture into the cavity of the bird. Secure the legs by trussing.

2. In a large oven-safe sauté pan, heat olive oil until hot. Place the chickens into the hot oil and brown on all sides until golden. When the chickens are browned, remove them from the sauté pan and skim off any fat, leaving the accumulated pan juices. Add the white wine and chicken stock and bring to a rapid simmer.

3. Add the chickens breast side up, and place the sauté pan with the chickens into a reheated oven set at 375 degrees. Baste the chickens periodically. Set your timer for 1 hour and test the temperature with a meat thermometer after the hour to make sure the chicken is fully cooked.

4. To make a nice sauce, remove the chickens to your serving plate. To the pan drippings add another cup of chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Thicken with Wondra flour or corn starch, adjust the seasoning to taste and strain.

To Serve
When the chickens are done, remove from the sauté pan and place on a warm platter. You can pre-cut the chicken into halves, quarters or eighths in the kitchen, or you can carve the chickens table-side. Garnish with fresh sprigs of the types of herbs used in the cooking process. This roasted chicken is matched well with roasted baby new potatoes and fresh vegetables, or a fresh vegetable timbale.