Ultimate Chicken

Yield: 1 chicken

Categories:  Poultry

Ingredients

One 5.5 lb chicken, whole
1/2 bunch each: oregano thyme and parsley
1/4 lb. unsalted butter softened
1 lemon
1/2 Head garlic
1 medium onion plus 2nd onion
6 strips bacon
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry

Directions

Rinse chicken in cool water, inside and out. Pat dry.

Divide the herbs, keeping half of them whole. Finely chop the other half.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herbed butter under the skin and over the outside of chicken. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper.

Stuff the cavity with the lemon, garlic, one onion and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan.

Put the remaining onion into the pan which will help color and flavor the sauce. Lay the strips of bacon across the breast of the chicken and roast for 25 minutes. Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin.

Chicken is done when an instant read thermometer reads 165°. Remove chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the softened onion from the pan. Tilt the pan so the drippings collect in the corner, skimming off as much fat as possible, and leaving the drippings. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and take a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavor from the bottom of the pan.

Stir the flour into the drippings to make a roux-like paste. Pour in the chicken broth in stages, continue to stir to dissolve the flour evenly to prevent lumps. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper.