Julia Child’s Roasted Chicken

Categories: chicken, not tried

Ingredients

• 5 lb whole chicken
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 3 lemons, halved
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed, unpeeled
• 1 onion, sliced
• olive oil as needed
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
• 2 tbsp walnut or hazelnut oil
• 2 bunch watercress

Directions

1. eat oven to 350.

2. Squeeze juice from lemons into a large bowl, place lemon halves, thyme, rosemary, and garlic into bowl and mix.

3. After removing giblets from chicken, place in bowl and rub into juices on both sides. Stuff chicken with bowl contents (two lemon halves will probably not fit).

4. Place onion slices on bottom of lightly oiled le creuset roasting/baking pan.

5. Place chicken on bed of onions, tuck under wings. Tie legs together if desired. Pour remaining juice over chicken, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with Kosher salt.

6. about 1 hour 45 minutes to two hours (or 20 minutes per pound) for 5 lb. chicken. Temperature should be about 180. Test at thickest part near thigh.

7. Take chicken out of pan to rest 15-20 minutes.

8. Clean, wash and spin dry watercress.

9. Pour off fat from pan.

10. Add chicken stock to pan, using a spoon, break up pieces and stir.

11. Strain contents of pan into a bowl, be sure to press down to get all juice.

12. Add juice of 1/2 lemon, salt, nut oil to juice, then add any juice from resting chicken, whisk to combine.

13. Dress watercress with juice and serve.

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