Simple Roast Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 whole chicken, trimmed of excess fat, then rinsed and patted dry (3-4 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (rosemary, marjoram, oregano, sage) or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and fresh pepper
• chopped fresh herb (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 500°f
• 2 place the chicken breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. begin roasting. mix together the olive oil, herb, salt and pepper.
• 3 after the chicken has roasted for 20 minutes, spoon some of the olive oil mixture over it then turn the breast side up. baste again, then again after 7 or 8 minutes; at this point the breast should begin to brown (if it hasn't, roast a few more minutes). turn the heat down to 325; baste again and roast until the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 to 165. total roasting time should be under an hour.
• 4 before removing the chicken from the pan, tip the pan to let the juices from the birds cavity flow into the pan (if they are red, cook another 5 minutes). remove the bird to a platter and let it rest for 5 minutes. while resting, pour the pan juices into a clear measuring cup, and pour off as much of the fat as you can. reheat the juices, carve the bird. garnish and serve with the pan juices.