Recipe: Bistro Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

BISTRO ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND THYME

"Great with sauteed spinach and your favorite mashed potatoes. This recipe can be doubled to serve 4, 6 or 8."

Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 (3 1/2 to 4)-pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
1 lemon
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Sprinkle 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper all over chicken, including cavity.

Place rack in a pan and put the chicken on top. Let it sit for 24 hours uncovered, in the refrigerator.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Set and oven rack in the middle position.

Finely grate lemon zest and set it aside. Cut lemon in half and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine butter, chopped thyme and lemon zest. Using a brush, dab butter between the skin and breast meat, taking care not to break the skin. Spread remaining butter all over the bird and inside the cavity. Push a lemon half into the cavity. Reserve the remaining half. Set chicken breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan.

Roast until the breasts are nicely browned, about 25 minutes. Gently flip the bird (using tongs to clutch the inside of the cavity and side and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees F - about another 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for another 5-10 minutes, breast side up.

Carve and serve with a drizzle of accumulated juices and a squirt of lemon juice.

Source: 150 Things to Make With Roast Chicken by Tony Rosenfeld