I don't think there is a better way to end a lazy, winter weekend than with a roast chicken. Our apartment was filled with its delicious aroma for hours and the long roasting time gave me an excuse to curl up with a book while I waited. What little effort is involved is more than compensated with tender meat and rich flavor.
For my first roast chicken, I combined a few recipes and threw in some thyme and truffle oil for good measure. You can substitute truffle oil with olive oil or butter, if you so choose (but trust me, you want the truffle oil). I also added a splash or two of madeira to the gravy.
Roast Chicken
1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs.)
3 garlic cloves
2 lemons
thyme
4 tbsp. black truffle oil
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
3 cups water
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 450°F. After washing and drying your chicken, sprinkle the inside with salt, pepper, and thyme. Place one halved lemon and the garlic inside. Loosely tie the legs of the chicken together with string. Generously brush the outside of the chicken with truffle oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Place chicken in roasting pan, fill pan with 3 cups water and cook 60-70 minutes, basting every 20 minutes. When chicken is done, place it on a platter and let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting.
Meanwhile, transfer 4 tablespoons of cooking liquid from the roasting pan to a saucepan. Over medium high heat, cook liquid for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 2 cups cooking liquid, 4 tbsp. butter, and juice from remaining lemon. Cook until thickened, 5-6 minutes.
