Roast Chicken with Red Pepper Butter
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
For the Red Pepper Butter:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper (can use jarred roasted red pepper)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste For the Roasted Chicken:
1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds
1/2 lemon, cut in half
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 fresh rosemary sprig
10 large fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
• Rub the inside of the bird with the cut lemon and 2 tablespoons of the red pepper butter.
• Season the inside with salt and pepper and drop the herbs into the cavity of the bird.
• Twist the wing tips behind the thick part of the wings.
• Coat the skin of the bird with 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the bird on a roasting rack fitted on a baking sheet.
• Roast until the skin is golden and crackling crisp, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast the bird for 25 to 30 minutes longer.
• To see if the bird is fully cooked, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a thin-bladed knife.
• The juices should run clear.
• Transfer the bird to a cutting board and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
• Use the remaining butter on sautéed vegetables, hot corn on the cob, or mashed potatoes.
• The butter can be frozen for up to four months.
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