Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Sage Butter

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons sage, minced
• 3 tablespoons thyme, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 whole chicken

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix together butter, lemon zest, sage, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper to make herb paste. Reserve 4 tablespoons of paste for gravy.
3. Wash and dry chicken. Place in a shallow roasting pan 1-inch deep.
4. Loosen skin on chicken by gently working your fingers between skin and meat, keeping skin attached on 1 side and being careful not to tear skin.
5. Rub butter mixture evenly under skin.
6. Rub the remaining chicken with butter remaining on your hands. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Roast chicken in middle of oven until a meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees F, about 50-60 minutes.
8. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Let chicken rest before serving.