Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken

1 roasting chicken -- (5 to 6 pound)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 lemon -- halved
1 head garlic -- cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons butter -- melted
1 Spanish onion -- thickly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the chicken giblets and rinse the chicken inside and out.  Pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the rosemary, both halves of the lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper.  Scatter the onion slices around the chicken.

Roast the chicken until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove all the fat from the bottom of the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons in a small cup. Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan. Combine the 2 tablespoons of chicken fat with the flour and add to the pan. Boil for a few minutes to cook the flour. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan and season it to taste. Keep it warm over a very low flame while you carve the chicken.

Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve immediately with the warm gravy.

If you want to roast vegetables with the chicken, place 8 whole new red potatoes, 4 carrots, cut diagonally into quarters, and add them with the onions. Place the chicken on top of the vegetable for roasting.