Bethany Crouch samples Mimi’s Cafe’s Herb Roasted Chicken. Here’s how you can make it at home.
Ingredients
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup onions, diced
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup butter, softened
1 TB Herbes de Provence that include Rosemary
One 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Parsley stems
Celery leaves
1 ea lemon, sliced
1 TB fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine Herbes de Provence, rosemary and butter and blend well.
Melt 2 tablespoons of herbed butter in sauté pan. Add the ½ cup carrots, ½ cup onions (saving the rest for later) and celery and cook over moderate heat until softened.
Salt and pepper the chicken inside and out`s. Place sautéed vegetables inside cavity along with parsley, lemon and celery leaves. Massage the chicken all over with herbed butter, then truss it.
Place chicken in roasting pan breast side up.
Roast the chicken in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, as follows:
At 15 minutes brush the chicken with butter. Scatter the sliced onion and carrot all around. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
At 45 minutes brush the lemon juice and herbed butter over the chicken.
At 60 minutes baste with the pan juices. Test for doneness: Pierce chicken thigh and if juices run clear chicken is done.
Remove chicken from oven and let rest 15 minutes.
Note: 3 ½ pound chicken will take approximately 70 minutes add 7 minutes more for each pound.
