This flavourful chicken recipe is perfect for mid-week meals, but fancy enough to impress your dinner party guests. Use any leftovers for chicken salads.
Ingredients
1 small bird
Whole Chicken
4 tbsp
Ghee
(softened)
1 medium
Lemon
1 bunch
Thyme, fresh
2 tsp
Salt
2 tsp
Black pepper
1 tbsp
Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
8 small
Carrots
(washed and trimmed)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the softened ghee in a bowl. Zest the lemon and add it to the bowl. Set the lemon aside. Remove about 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves from the bunch and chop lightly. Add to the bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Carefully separate the chicken skin away from the meat on the breast and leg meat, by sliding your finger under the skin and gently pulling it away from the meat. This will allow you to create a pocket for the lemon-flavoured ghee.
Taking a spoonful at a time, slide the ghee mixture under the skin, being careful not to pierce the skin. Insert ghee to cover the breast and leg meat. Place the whole zested lemon inside the cavity along with half of the thyme. Secure the legs together with kitchen twine. Rub olive oil over the chicken, then sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
Place the remaining thyme on the base of a roasting tray. Place the chicken on top of it. Add the carrots around the chicken. Place in the oven for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F). If the chicken is browning too quickly, cover it lightly with foil.
Once cooked, remove from the oven, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted carrots.
