Ingredients
1 whole roasting chicken, approximately 4-5 pounds
1 large yellow onion or 2 medium, cut into uniformly thick slices
1 whole orange, cut into quarters
8-10 cloves garlic, crushed and skins removed
4 tablespoons butter, cut into slices
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped, plus 3 whole sprigs
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed, plus 3 whole sprigs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 batch Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425˚
- Remove giblets from chicken cavity and discard. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
- If desired, prepare one batch of Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes in a 12” pre-seasoned cast iron skillet as directed.
- Once potatoes have been browned on the cooktop, push them to the outer edge of the pan and placed sliced onions in the center. Otherwise, omit the potatoes and just place sliced onion on bottom of skillet.
- Set chicken on top of onions and fill cavity with sliced oranges, garlic cloves and whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme. For a nicer appearance, tie legs together with kitchen twine.
- Add chopped rosemary and thyme leaves to a flat plate and press butter slices into the herb mixture.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Use a knife to separate the skin from the breast meat and slide the herbed butter slices in between.
- Drizzle olive oil over top of chicken breast and use fingers or pastry brush to coat exposed surface.
- Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place skillet in oven and roast for approximately 1 hour or until juices run clear when you cut into the area near the base of the thigh. Actual cooking time will vary depending on how large the bird is and individual oven settings.
- Remove skillet from oven, tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
