herb buttered roast chicken

How To Make herb buttered roast chicken

• 
  1

  Read recipe and calculate time for prep and cooking. Chicken will roast at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Gather and prep all ingredients.
• 
  2

  In a small bowl, use a fork to combine softened butter, herbs and salts; set aside.
• 
  3

  Lightly butter a 9"x 13" baking dish.
• 4

  Remove giblets from neck and body cavities of the chicken (save and refrigerate them for making stock or boil in water or broth for giblet gravy.)
• 5

  Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry with paper towels, inside and out; place breast side up in prepared baking dish. (At this point, you may want to wash your hands and put on food safe plastic gloves.)
• 6

  Lift skin of neck cavity, carefully insert fingers between skin and meat and work back and forth to loosen skin from the body of the chicken, including the thighs.
• 7

  Working with about one half tablespoon at a time, use your finger to scoop out some of the herb butter and spread it on the meat of the chicken under the skin, including thighs, until as evenly distributed as possible, but with about one or two teaspoons left over.
• 
  8

  Use remainder of herb butter to rub over skin of bird to promote browning. (Truss the bird and tuck the wings underneath, if desired, it's optional.)
• 9

  Bake at 375 degrees F, uncovered, for one hour.
• 10

  After first hour, tent loosely with foil, rotate baking dish and continue to cook for remainder of calculated time. (I recommend checking temperature of thickest part of thigh about 1/2 hour before it should be done, just to make sure it doesn't overcook. Also, remove foil if it needs a little extra browning.)
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  11

  Chicken is ready when meat thermometer inserted in middle of thickest part of thigh, not touching bone, reads 165 degrees F and juices run clear.
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  12

  Remove from oven. Carefully remove chicken from baking dish to serving platter (meat lifters are ideal tools for this;) tent with foil for at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving for juiciest meat.
• 13

  If desired, use pan drippings, flour, broth, salt, pepper, soy sauce and cooked reserved giblets to make gravy while the chicken rests. Cover and refrigerate all leftovers.
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