Ingredients:

  • 1 Whole Chicken (approx. 1.8kg/4lbs)
  • 2 tsp Sea Salt (coarse)
  • 1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
  • 115g Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 6 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary, minced
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme, stripped from the stem
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest
  • 2 Large Yellow Onions, quartered
  • 1 Whole Head of Garlic, halved crosswise
  • 250ml Chicken Bone Broth

Instructions:

  1. Prep the bird. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pat it bone dry with paper towels inside and out.
  2. Season the cavity. Rub 1 tsp of the coarse sea salt and half the cracked black pepper inside the bird.
  3. Create the compound butter. In a small bowl, mash the 115g softened butter with the 6 cloves of minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest.
  4. Butter the skin. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs with your fingers. Stuff two thirds of the butter mixture directly under the skin. Push it all the way to the back.
  5. Finish the exterior. Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the skin and sprinkle with the remaining sea salt.
  6. Set the stage. Place the quartered yellow onions and the halved head of garlic in the center of your skillet or pan.
  7. Truss and position. Tie the legs together with twine and tuck the wings under. Place the bird directly on top of the onions. This creates a natural roasting rack.
  8. Add the liquid. Pour the 250ml chicken bone broth into the bottom of the pan, being careful not to wet the chicken skin.
  9. Roast the chicken. Place in a preheated 200°C oven. Bake for 1 hour 15 mins until the skin is dark gold and the juices run clear.
  10. Rest the meat. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the fibers to reabsorb the juices.