Roast Chicken

From blend of recipes

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, ~4 lbs
tarragon, 2 T minced fresh or 2 tsp. dried
thyme, 1 T minced fresh or 1 t dried
rosemary, 1 T minced fresh or 1 tsp. dried
2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 tsp dijon mustard
2 T olive oil
2 T melted butter
1 T kosher salt
2 tsp. cracked pepper
1 lemon, halved
2 bay leaves (fresh if possible)
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
3 ribs celery, peeled and cut into thirds
3 oniions, peeled and cut into quarters

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475.
  2. Mix tarragon, thyme, rosemary, mustard, garlic, oil and butter.
  3. Remove and discard giblets and neck from checken. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks.
  4. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper.
  5. Rub herb/oil mix between skin and meat, coating well.
  6. Squeeze lemon over chicken inside and out.
  7. Place lemon rinds and bay leaves inside cavity.
  8. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken.
  9. Place chicken breast side down on rack set inside a pan.
  10. Arrange vegetables on bottom of pan below rack.
  11. Bake approximately 30 minutes, then turn chicken over and bake another 30 minutes. Total baking time depends on size of chicken, check for doneness with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a leg. It should be 160 degrees.
  12. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.