comfort food thursday - roast chicken.

no lie, i have had this exact conversation several million times over:

• friend: i want to roast a chicken. a full chicken.
• me: me too.
• friend: how do you go about doing that?
• me: i have no idea.
  

well, thanks to the folks at farmplate kitchen, this is a conversation that we will no longer have to have. they have enlightened me on how exactly to make the perfect roast chicken - in all its simplistic glory. plus, if you visit their website there are several other variations of this classic meal. my mouth is watering already...

simple roast chicken
what you need:

• 1 4-pound whole chicken (misty knoll if possible)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, chives and/or tarragon)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil for brushing
• 1 cup water or hard cider such as woodchuck draft cider
  

what you do: preheat the oven to 375ºF. pat the chicken dry with paper towels. mix together the butter, herbs, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a generous grinding of pepper. gently work the herb butter under the skin on both sides of the chicken breastbone. brush a V-rack with oil and set in a roasting pan. set the chicken on the rack and brush with olive oil. pour the water or cider into the roasting pan. roast the chicken for 40 minutes.

increase the oven temperature to 425ºF and continue to roast until the skin is crispy and well browned, about 30 minutes longer. an instant-read thermometer should read 170ºF. tilt the chicken so the juices from the cavity run into the roasting pan. transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Strain the juices to serve over the chicken.