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Have all items and ingredients in place and ready to use before handling the uncooked chicken: the prepared vegetables, the lemon zest, herbs and butter mixture, fresh herbs and garlic, the lemons, basting brush, and kitchen string cut to long enough to truss the chicken.
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Insert 3 garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme and sage sprigs in the cavity of the chicken.
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Cut the unused lemon in half and lightly squeeze half of the lemon juice into the cavity. Put both lemon halves into the chicken cavity with the garlic and herbs.
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Using a basting brush, or your clean hands, spread the melted butter and herb mixture all over the skin of the chicken; breasts, legs, back, wings, every surface. Slip some of the buttery mixture under the skin as well. Tuck the wing tips under the back of the bird so they do not burn.
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Take the kitchen string and tie the chicken legs together so that the tips crisscross each other. Wrap the string around the drumstick ends and secure with a square knot. Trim ends of the string if necessary.
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Place the prepared chicken in the roasting pan with the vegetables and sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper over the chicken. Using the zested lemon, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken. Place the roasting pan with the chicken and vegetables in the oven and begin roasting for 20 minutes.
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After 20 minutes turn the oven temperature down to 190°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5 and baste the chicken with any pan juices. Continue to roast for another 20 minutes and baste again. Repeat this step every 20 minutes until chicken is done.
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Begin checking to see if the vegetables are done after they have been roasting for 30 minutes. The vegetables will cook faster than the chicken, so continue to monitor the vegetables. The vegetables are done when they are soft when pierced with a fork. Use a slotted spoon to remove the roasted vegetables from the roasting pan and put them in a heat proof serving dish. Don't worry about retrieving all the vegetables directly under the chicken. Cover the dish with foil and keep warm. Continue to roast the chicken as needed.
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Check the chicken for doneness about an hour after the start of cooking. I usually figure around 15 - 20 minutes per pound.
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The chicken is done when the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a fork and the internal temperature of the deepest part of the thigh meat is 165°F (74°C) on an instant read thermometer. The breast meat should be at 170°F (77°C) at its deepest part. Make sure the thermometer is not touching bone, as well. See Note
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Once the chicken is done, take it out of the oven and rest the bird on a carving board for 15 minutes