HERBED ROAST CHICKEN

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: One of our favorite ways to roast a chicken is to pack it with lots of fresh herb flavor. But the reality is that this is one of the hardest culinary tasks to get right, since the heat of the oven tends to destroy the flavor of fresh herbs. The most common approach—spreading herb butter under the skin of the breast—flavors the chicken weakly at best. After much testing with herb pastes (and lots of torn chicken skin), we decided to butterfly the chicken. This simple step made it far easier both to spread the paste and to get the crisp skin we were after. After brining, we made shallow cuts in the dark meat, which not only helped the skin render but also created pockets to trap the flavorful herbs. We carefully rubbed part of our herb paste under the skin on the breast meat and then browned the chicken in a large skillet before transferring the skillet to the oven. Halfway through cooking, we slathered on more of the herb paste. Just to make sure that every bite of chicken was bursting with herby flavor, we made a quick pan sauce using the drippings in the skillet, finishing it off with a couple of tablespoons of extra herb butter and a few drops of lemon juice. You can substitute an equal amount of basil for the tarragon and replace the thyme with rosemary, oregano, or sage. If using a kosher chicken, do not brine in step 1. The chicken may slightly overhang the skillet at first, but once browned it will fit.

Serves: 6

Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling time)

INGREDIENTS:

CHICKEN

• 1 (5-pound) whole chicken, trimmed, giblets discarded
• Salt and pepper
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 6 scallions, green parts only, minced
• ¼ cup minced fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

SAUCE

• 1–1½ cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the chicken With chicken breast side down, use kitchen shears to cutthrough bones on either side of backbone and discard backbone. Flip chicken over and press on breastbone to flatten. Using sharp knife, cut 2 slashes, ⅛ inch deep, into skin of thighs and legs, about ¾ inch apart. Dissolve ½ cup salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine softened butter, scallions, tarragon, thyme, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons herb butter to small bowl and refrigerate; set remaining herb butter aside.
3. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Using your fingers or handle of spoon, gently loosen center portion of skin covering each side of breast. Using spoon, place 1 tablespoon room-temperature herb butter underneath skin over center of each side of breast. Gently press on skin to distribute butter over meat. Season chicken with pepper.
4. Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken skin side down and reduce heat to medium. Cook until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast chicken for 25 minutes.
5. Using pot holder, remove chicken from oven. Using 2 large wads of paper towels, flip chicken skin side up. Using spoon or spatula, evenly coat chicken skin with remaining room-temperature herb butter and return to oven. Roast chicken until skin is golden brown, breast registers 160 degrees, and thighs register 175 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes.
6. For the sauce While chicken rests, pour pan juices into fat separator. Let liquid settle for 5 minutes, then pour juices into 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Add enough broth to measure 1½ cups. Heat 2 teaspoons fat from fat separator in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add
   flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth mixture, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to rapid simmer and cook until reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juices, return to simmer, and cook for 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in lemon juice and reserved cold herb butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce separately