Roasted Chicken with Lemon Herb Butter

This roast chicken is foolproof and fantastic. Plus, it's versatile enough for a weeknight dinner or weekend dinner party.

Lemon Herb Butter:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
½ tsp. fresh thyme, minced
½ tsp. lemon zest, finely grated
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Chicken:
1 (3-4 lb) whole chicken, innards removed (1.3-1.8 kg)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
4 cloves garlic, whole
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 lemon, cut crosswise into 8 rounds
1 cup water, divided

Jus:
½ cup chicken stock or broth

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7). Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Remove chicken from the fridge so that it will be at room temperature before roasting (30-45 minutes).

Make the Lemon Herb Butter:
In a bowl, mix the butter with the minced garlic, minced herbs and the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

Pat the chicken dry. Rub half of the herb butter under the skin and the rest over the chicken; season with salt and pepper.

Set the chicken breast-side-up on a rack in a roasting pan. Scatter the onion, lemon, cloves garlic and herb sprigs and add ½ cup of water. Roast for 30 minutes, until the breast is firm and just beginning to brown in spots. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-down and roast for 20 minutes longer, until the skin is lightly browned.

Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-side-up. Add another ½ cup of water. Roast for about 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 175°F-180°F.

Tilt the chicken to drain the cavity juices into the pan; transfer the bird to a cutting board. Remove the rack from the pan and spoon off the fat. Set the pan over high heat. Add the stock and cook, scraping up any browned bits. Press the lemon to release the juices. Carve the chicken and pass the chunky jus at the table.

Makes 4-6 servings.