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Ingredients
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For the Chicken
For the Roasted Chicken Jus (pan sauce)
Optional Garnish
Method
For the Chicken
Prepare and season
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). If backbone removed, spatchcock the chicken or leave whole and truss. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels inside and out. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, truffle (shaved or paste), kosher salt, and black pepper; mix until smooth. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs with your fingers and spread about two-thirds of the truffle butter under the skin, leaving the remainder to rub on the exterior. Rub the remaining truffle butter over the skin. Drizzle olive oil over the skin and rub to coat evenly. Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while the oven finishes preheating.
Roast
Place the chicken breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan or on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes to develop color, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 160–165°F (71–74°C) and juices run clear—about 35–50 additional minutes depending on size. Baste once halfway with pan drippings. Total roast time is roughly 50–70 minutes for a 3.5–4 lb chicken. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes; internal temperature will rise a few degrees while resting.
Reserve drippings
Carefully pour or spoon the pan drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl. Let the fat rise to the top; reserve about 1 cup of the combined drippings (fat + browned bits + juices). If you have more fat than desired, spoon off excess to leave about 2–3 tbs fat with the juices for the jus.
For the Roasted Chicken Jus (pan sauce)
Sauté shallots
Set a medium sauté pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add the reserved pan drippings (about 1 cup) and bring to a gentle sizzle. If there is very little fat, add 1 tbs butter or olive oil. Add the finely chopped shallots and sauté until translucent and softened, about 2–3 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
Deglaze and reduce
Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any fond with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half, approximately 3–5 minutes.
Add stock and aromatics
Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and tied thyme sprig. Bring to a simmer and reduce until the sauce is slightly thickened and flavorful — about 10–12 minutes — until you have roughly 1 to 1 1/4 cups of liquid depending on how concentrated you like the jus.
Finish the jus
Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme. Off heat, whisk in the cold butter pieces one at a time to mount the sauce, creating a glossy finish. Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, add 1 tsp black truffle oil (or a few drops) and stir gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Strain (optional) and serve
For a smooth jus, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a warmed gravy boat or small saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Keep warm until ready to serve. Spoon the jus over carved chicken or serve on the side.
To Serve
Carve the rested chicken into breast, thigh, drumstick and wing pieces. Arrange on a warm platter. Spoon a small amount of jus over the meat, then finish with a few thin truffle shavings or a light drizzle of truffle oil and scatter microgreens or chopped parsley for color. Serve remaining jus at the table.