September means Roast Chicken

I know that today is Monday and I usually follow the Meatless Monday guidelines, but a perfectly roasted chicken has been calling my name. Today really cooled down (by Texas standards - it was a cool 65 degrees early this morning and I think the high only hit 85 degrees this afternoon) and hence the craving for roast chicken.

I started the process by adding some dried rosemary, marjarom, and thyme to softened butter and mixing well. I rinsed and dried my whole chicken and stuffed the cavity with some lemon wedges and salt and pepper. I trussed the chicken and spread it with the seasoned butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper. It went on a rack in a roasting pan which had veggies under it and roasted for 1 1/4 hours at 425 degrees. I did baste it a few times during the roasting time.

Once the chicken was done, it got a rest time while I used the drippings to make a gravy. I removed the chicken and put the roasting pan over a burner to brown the onions, celery and carrot in the bottom of the pan. Once browned, I removed the vegetables and deglazed the pan with some chicken stock and allowed the stock to cook down a little. I added a butter/flour mixture to the reduced chicken stock and allowed it to simmer until thickened.

Our classic side dishes were mashed potatoes and carrots.

The perfect fall dinner and we agree
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Roast Chicken with Gravy
1 whole chicken 3-5 lbs.
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 lemon, cut in wedges
Salt and pepper, taste
1/2 onion coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, scrubbed and coarsely chopped

For the Gravy
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rinse and dry chicken thoroughly. Season inside with salt and pepper and stuff with lemon wedges. Add dried herbs to the 4 tablespoons of softened butter and mix to combine. Truss chicken to make sure it retains its shape, rub it with the herbed butter and season with salt and pepper. Place the mirepoix (also known as the chopped onion, celery and carrot) in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place rack in pan, over mirepoix and place chicken on rack. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 1 1/4 hours and test with an instant thermometer inserted into thigh (thermometer should read 160 degrees when inserted into meaty part of thigh, without touching bone).

When done remove chicken to cutting board to rest, covered with foil for 10 minutes.

Place roasting pan with mirepoix over a burner to brown veggies. Once browned, remove veggies with a slotted spoon. Deglaze pan with 2 cups of chicken stock and allow to reduce by almost half. Mix equal amounts of softened butter with flour and gradually whisk in to reduced chicken stock. Allow to come to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer until cooked down and thickened.

Enjoy!