Slow Roasted Chicken Herbs (Printer-friendly)

Tender slow-cooked whole chicken infused with lemon, garlic, and aromatic herbs for rich flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 1 whole chicken, approximately 4 lbs, giblets removed

→ Aromatics & Herbs

02 - 1 large lemon, halved
03 - 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
04 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
05 - 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

→ Vegetables

06 - 2 large carrots, cut into chunks
07 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
08 - 1 large onion, quartered

→ Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
11 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon paprika (optional)

→ Liquids

13 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

# How to Make It:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 300°F to prepare for slow roasting.
02 - Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then rub the skin evenly with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika if using.
03 - Fill the chicken cavity with lemon halves, halved garlic head, and half of the thyme and rosemary sprigs.
04 - Place carrots, celery, onion, and remaining thyme and rosemary in the base of a large roasting pan.
05 - Nestle the chicken breast side up atop the vegetables and pour the chicken broth into the pan.
06 - Roast uncovered for 2 hours, basting the chicken every 45 minutes with pan juices to retain moisture.
07 - Increase oven temperature to 425°F and roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes to achieve a golden, crisp skin.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving; serve alongside the roasted vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The low temperature does all the work, leaving you free to ignore it for hours while the chicken becomes impossibly tender.
  • Pan drippings turn into a rich, golden sauce without any extra steps or fancy reductions.
  • It fills the house with the kind of smell that makes people wander into the kitchen asking what's for dinner.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken, the skin will steam instead of crisp no matter how high you turn the oven at the end.
  • Basting really does matter, each time you do it the skin picks up more flavor and color from the pan.
  • Resting isn't optional, cutting too soon and all those beautiful juices run straight onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
03 -
  • Tuck the wing tips under the body before roasting so they don't burn during the final high-heat blast.
  • If the skin starts browning too fast during the slow roast, tent the chicken loosely with foil until the last 20 minutes.
  • Use a bulb baster or a large spoon to baste, tilting the pan slightly makes it easier to collect the juices.

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