Butter-basted roast chicken with garlic, thyme, and rosemary

• 1 ¾ kg whole chickenabout 4 lbs, giblets removed, patted very dry
• 80 g unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
• 8 garlic clovescloves — 4 minced, 4 left whole and lightly smashed
• 1 bunch fresh thymeleaves stripped from about half the bunch, rest kept as whole sprigs
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigssprigs — leaves finely chopped from 2 sprigs, 2 sprigs kept whole
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbs flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 onionlarge, quartered

1. 1

   Take the chicken out of the fridge 45 minutes before cooking — a room-temperature bird roasts more evenly. Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Pat the chicken very dry all over with paper towels, including inside the cavity. Dry skin is the single biggest secret to crispy skin.

   Tip: If you're short on time, even 20 minutes out of the fridge helps. The drier you can get the skin, the better it'll crisp.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, minced garlic (4 cloves), chopped thyme leaves, chopped rosemary leaves, the zest of the whole lemon, half the flaky sea salt, and all the black pepper. Mix until everything is evenly distributed — you should have a fragrant, speckled compound butter.

   Tip: This is a great make-ahead step. The butter can be mixed up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge — just bring it back to room temperature before using.

3. 3

   Gently loosen the skin over the chicken breasts and thighs by sliding your fingers between the skin and meat, being careful not to tear it. Spread about two-thirds of the herb butter directly onto the meat under the skin, massaging it into an even layer. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the bird.

   Tip: Getting butter under the skin bastes the breast meat from the inside as it renders, keeping it incredibly juicy while the skin above crisps up.

4. 4

   Cut the zested lemon in half. Stuff the cavity with both lemon halves, the 4 smashed garlic cloves, and the remaining whole thyme and rosemary sprigs. This aromatics-packed cavity creates steam that flavors the chicken from the inside out.

5. 5

   Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the bird. This isn't fussy — it just helps the chicken hold a compact shape so the thinner parts don't overcook while the thicker thighs catch up.

6. 6

   Place the quartered onion in the roasting pan, drizzle with the olive oil, and set the wire rack on top. Sit the chicken breast-side up on the rack. Sprinkle the remaining flaky salt over the skin.

   Tip: The onion quarters do double duty — they add flavor to any pan drippings and keep the rack stable. The rack lifts the bird so hot air circulates underneath, crisping the skin all around.

7. 7

   Roast at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes. The high heat gets the skin rendering and browning immediately.

8. 8

   Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F) and continue roasting for another 40-55 minutes. The chicken is done when the skin is deeply golden brown, the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 74°C (165°F). If the breast skin is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 15 minutes.

   Tip: Start checking at the 40-minute mark after reducing heat. Every oven runs differently, so trust the thermometer and the visual cues over exact timing. The breast should also read at least 70°C (158°F).

9. 9

   Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest for at least 15 minutes — this is non-negotiable. As the bird rests, the juices redistribute back into the meat. Tilt the bird slightly to let any juices from the cavity run into the roasting pan. Tent very loosely with foil (don't wrap tightly or you'll steam away your crispy skin).

   Tip: Resting makes the difference between dry, stringy meat and sliceable, juicy chicken. The internal temperature will rise another 3-5°C during resting.

10. 10

    While the chicken rests, tilt the roasting pan and spoon off excess fat from the pan drippings, leaving behind the dark, flavorful liquid and softened onions. You can serve these concentrated pan juices spooned over carved chicken — they're liquid gold.

    Tip: Save the skimmed chicken fat in a jar in the fridge — it's phenomenal for roasting vegetables later in the week.

11. 11

    Carve the chicken: remove the legs and separate thighs from drumsticks, then slice the breast meat. Spoon the pan juices over everything.

• roasting pan (large (about 35x25cm / 14x10 inch))
• cutting board (large)
• small mixing bowl
• instant-read thermometer
• kitchen twine
• chef's knife

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.