Poulet Rôti Recipe

Prepare and season chicken

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30–60 minutes before roasting to bring it closer to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the chicken very dry inside and out with paper towels. Season the cavity generously with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cut the lemon in half and place both halves inside the cavity along with the smashed garlic cloves and the thyme and rosemary sprigs.

Butter and truss

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Loosen the skin over the breasts by sliding your fingers gently between skin and meat. Spread about two-thirds of the butter mixture under the skin over the breasts and rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the chicken. Optional: tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the body for even cooking.

Roast

Place the prepared chicken breast-side up on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan (or on top of the prepared vegetables). Roast in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 20 minutes to develop color. Then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for 40–60 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 160–165°F (71–74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone). Tent loosely with foil if the skin browns too quickly.

Rest and finish

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest, loosely covered with foil, for 15–20 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and final internal temperature to rise a few degrees. Carve and serve.

Prepare vegetables: While oven is preheating, toss carrots, celery and potatoes with 1 tablespoon extra olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Spread vegetables in an even layer in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the chicken on a rack above the vegetables or directly on top of the vegetables so their pan juices baste them during roasting.

Roast and baste: Roast according to the chicken roasting directions. If the chicken is on a rack, toss the vegetables and turn them once halfway through roasting so they cook evenly and pick up chicken drippings. If vegetables are directly under the chicken, stir them once so they brown evenly.

Finish and serve: When chicken is resting, return the pan with vegetables to the oven for 5–10 minutes if they need additional browning. Transfer vegetables to a serving platter and spoon pan juices over the chicken slices and vegetables before serving.