A match made in heaven: garlic butter with lemon and fresh rosemary. And it makes a terrific flavoring for roast chicken, too!
INGREDIENTS (for 5 servings):
- 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Zest the lemon. Slice remaining lemon into quarters and place to the side. With hand mixer combine butter, lemon zest, minced garlic and 1/4 cup chopped rosemary.
Take your hand and slide it between the skin and the meat on the breast, as well as loosening the 'pockets' between the leg and wing joints. Scoop some of the rosemary butter mixture onto your fingers and begin to stuff into the 'pockets' on the breast, leg, wings, etc. (Save approximately 1/4 of the rosemary butter mixture and rub on the inside of the chicken.)
Season the cavity of the chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika. Add the quartered lemon, rosemary sprigs and sliced garlic to the chicken cavity. Bind the legs with culinary twine and tuck the wings into the leg joints to secure.
Place the chicken breast up onto the roasting rack and into the oven. Roast for approximately 50 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Remove the 'stuffing', carve and serve.