Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

I made this chicken on Sunday evening for the week ahead, it is full of flavor.  The recipe was in Bon Appetit several years ago.  I have adjusted it slightly and used an organic chicken and organic lemons, I used dried thyme since I didn't have any fresh at home, in the summer I would use fresh.  I was out of kitchen string so the chicken is not quite as pretty, but it tastes just as good.  The first meal the chicken will be served with potatoes and frozen green beans from last years garden.  Then I will pick the chicken apart and make white chili in the crockpot on Tuesday.  Any chicken left over will be used for sandwiches for lunches.

Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

Serves 4

3 Tablespoons minced fresh thyme or 1 Tablespoon dried

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 4 or 5-pound roasting chicken

1 lemon, quartered

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit.  Mix first 4 ingredients in bowl.  Rinse chicken; pat dry.  Place chicken in roasting pan.  Rub all but 1 Tablespoon garlic-thyme oil over chicken.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place lemon in cavity of chicken.  Tie legs with string.

Roast chicken 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees fahrenheit.  Roast chicken until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of inner thigh registers 180 degrees fahrenheit, about 1 hour to one hour 15 minutes.  Lift chicken and tilt slightly, emptying juices from cavity into pan.  Transfer chicken to serving platter.  Tent chicken with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup.  Spoon fat off top.  Add wine to pan; place over high heat.  Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits.  Pour wine mixture into measuring cup with pan juices (do not clean roasting pan).  Add enough chicken stock to cup to measure 1 1/2 cup.  Return stock mixture to same roasting pan.  Mix flour into reserved 1 Tablespoon garlic-thyme oil.  Whisk into stock mixture.  Boil stock mixture in roasting pan until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Season pan-juice mixture to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour into sauceboat.  Serve chicken, passing pan-juice mixture separately.