Ingredients
Scale
- one whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry (I usually use a 3–4 pound chicken.)
- 2 tbsp butter or ghee, softened
- 1/2 tsp unrefined salt
- a pinch of black pepper
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped chopped plus one extra sprig
- 2–3 cloves of garlic, minced.
- one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300’F. Place chicken into a large dutch oven or pan with a heavy lid and tie the legs together with 100% cotton cooking twine.
- Zest the lemon and combine zest with butter/ghee, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the chicken.
- Combine chopped rosemary and minced garlic. Gently peel the skin of the chicken away from the body at the top of the breast and push the rosemary/garlic mixture under the skin. You can sprinkle a bit of the mixture in the outside as well.
- Squeeze the entire lemon all over the chicken and slip the lemon halves and another full sprig of rosemary into the cavity of the chicken. Place heavy lid onto dutch oven/pan.
- Roast chicken for one and half hours, covered. Then pull out of oven and carefully ladle some of the juices from the chicken over the top to moisten it. Cover and return to oven.
- Increase heat to 375’F and continue to roast for another 35-45 minutes, until juices run clear. Internal temperature should be at least 165’F.
- For a browner, crispier skin, remove lid and broil top of chicken for 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to sit for 10 minutes, and enjoy!