Chicken Week: Lemon-Thyme Herb Butter Roasted Chicken

J – Lemon + thyme + chicken = really yummy!

I want to know the genius who first put lemon thyme and chicken together. It’s an awesome combination. Simple math. Yummy result. Perfect for chicken week.

We checked in with Luke on this idea. Turns out, he’s been doing this one for years, I don’t think he invented it, though.

I have ranted previously about not over-complicating roasting a chicken. Thomas Keller got it right. Simple Roasted Chicken. This recipe is almost as uncomplicated. The herb butter adds a bunch of flavor and keeps the bird really moist.

This is super easy to make. One of the tastiest roast chicken recipes we know.

We use Shinsen Sky White™ whole chicken because they are super fresh and don’t have much extra fat, like some commercial chickens. We also run the oven a bit lower than with the normal roasted chicken, so we don’t burn the butter as easily.

Chicken Week: Lemon-Thyme Herb Butter Roasted Chicken

Recipe type: Mains

Author: Jim

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients

1 Shinsen Sky White whole chicken, head and feet removed
1 handful of lemon thyme, stems removed, chiffonade
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 small red new potatoes
1 small yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
4 sprigs lemon thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine butter, lemon thyme, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small food processor.
Carefully separate the skin from the breast and leg area around the whole chicken. Make sure not to rip the skin.
Place the herb butter mixture in between the meat and the skin. Distribute the mixture evenly.
On an oven safe dish place herbs on bottom of the pan. Place chicken on top of herbs.
Surround chicken with potatoes and onions. Salt and pepper onions and potatoes.
Place in the oven. Cook chicken 50 to 60 minutes depending on the size of the bird. About 15 minutes per pound. Instant read thermometer should be at 150 degrees for breast meat. The bird will continue to cook while cooling outside the oven.
Remove from oven. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve.
Enjoy!