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whole roasted chicken with pan gravy
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5 from 5 votes

Whole Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy

Total Time2 hours
Servings: 4
Author: Alex Snodgrass

Ingredients

For the Whole Roasted Chicken:

  • 3½ pound whole chicken
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 large onion, cut into eighths
  • 1 large lemon, quartered lengthwise
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 cup white wine

For the Pan Gravy:

  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Whole Roasted Chicken:

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and position the rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Cut 1/4-inch from the top of the head, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. In the bottom of a cast iron skillet or oven-safe skillet, arrange the garlic, onions, and lemon. Be sure that the garlic is face down in the skillet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1½ teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Give it a gentle toss and push the contents to the side, making room for the chicken. Be sure that the garlic is face down in the skillet.
  • Remove the chicken giblets from the cavity of the chicken and pat the outside dry. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the thyme and rosemary. Place the chicken in the center of the skillet and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
  • Transfer to the oven and roast, basting the chicken every 20 minutes. After 40 minutes, add the white wine to the bottom of the pan, baste the chicken, and reduce the temperature to 375°F. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 more minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the gravy.

For the Pan Gravy:

  • Discard the lemon rinds from the pan. Squeeze the cloves of garlic out of the head into the sauce in the pan.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the chicken broth and arrowroot flour until well combined.
  • Heat the pan over medium heat. While whisking the contents in the skillet, slowly pour in the arrowroot and broth mixture, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the gravy to a simmer.
  • Stir in the thyme and rosemary. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has slightly thickened about 4 minutes.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed.
  • Remove the gravy from heat and transfer to serving bowl or gravy boat. Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1618mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg