Scrumptious Herb and Butter Roasted Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3-4 lb organic chicken
1 lemon
Handful of fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves grated
2 garlic cloves whole
¼ small white onion
½ C + good olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
3 T fresh flat leaf parsley
½ c unsalted butter
1 small shallot grated finely
1 C white wine
2 thick slices of hearty, crusty French bread

Direction:

• Mix together the room temperature butter, the finely chopped parsley, the shallot, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Wash and pat dry the room-temperature chicken, being careful to remove all of the giblets from the inner cavity. Sometimes I trim off a bit of the extra fat at the opening, but it is up to you. Generously oil the bird, and then rub with generous amounts of coarse sea salt and ground black pepper inside the bird and out. I simply pour about 2-3 T of the salt into a small container so I can just grab and rub. Cut the lemon into 6ths, chop the onion into large ½ inch cubes, cut two of the garlic cloves in half, and stuff all of that, along with the handful of thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Using twine, tie the legs together to keep all the good stuff inside the bird. Drizzle more olive oil atop.
• Drizzle a little oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the two pieces of bread on the bottom, and add a bit more oil, and then place the dressed bird on top with the breast facing up. Pour the wine into the pan. Place in a 450 degree F oven and cook for about 60 minutes, or until juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 degrees F. Marinate the chicken with the juices every 15 minutes and about 5 minutes before chicken is done, (the juices will be a little pink, and the leg will just be starting to pull away from the body,) brush a good part of the herb butter mixture all over the top of the bird and cook for the remaining 5 minutes. Remove, test with thermometer, and rest bird, covered for 10-15 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite sides!