Roast Chicken with Country Bread

This classic roast chicken is a timeless dish featuring golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, seasoned simply with herbs, garlic, and lemon. Perfect for any occasion, it's a comforting, flavorful meal that never goes out of style.

Ingredients:

·      4-5 pound chicken

·      1/2 white onion cut into large pieces

·      1 lemon cut into small quarters

·      Fresh poultry blend (rosemary, sage, thyme)

·      3 large cloves of fresh garlic smashed

·      Olive Oil

·      Kosher Salt 

·      Fresh ground black pepper

·      Half of a small baguette cut lengthwise

·      Parmesan Cheese 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the chicken

·      Remove chicken from bag, remove giblets and clean the outside and inner cavity with a paper towel - no need to wash! 

·      Using a skillet, place bread on the bottom of the pan.

·      Salt the interior cavity of the chicken and place the chicken on top of the bread. Place onion, lemon, poultry blend, and garlic in the cavity of the chicken. Don't overstuff - all of the ingredients need breathing room. To make sure, simply put your finger in the cavity and you should be able to have your finger go all the way through. 

·      Tuck the wings underneath the bird. Using kitchen twine or dental floss tie the legs of the chicken together. This creates a nice neat package to ensure the chicken cooks evenly. 

·      Pour olive oil over the chicken and massage it all over the bird. Sprinkle kosher salt over the exterior and repeat with pepper. 

2. Roasting

·      Place into a 425 degree preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and continue roasting until a thermometer reaches 160 degrees in the breast - approximately 90 minutes more. 

·      Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to continue carryover cooking so the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  

The bread soaks up the flavors of the chicken during roasting, resulting in a savory side when broiled with a touch of parmesan cheese. Simply slice and plate alongside the chicken just before you and your guests are seated!

3. Prepare for serving:

·      While the chicken is resting, grate parmesan cheese over the bread that was underneath the chicken and place underneath the broiler for 8-10 minutes to desired color. 

·      Carve the chicken and serve with the country bread as you would with traditional stuffing. 

For an easy, healthy, and beautiful side, I recommend pairing this with my vegetable tian. Your guests will enjoy the colorful pop and vibrant flavors that perfectly enhance this classic roast chicken. Enjoy!