This herb roasted chicken is in my starting lineup of dishes. It’s quick, it’s easy and it tastes great. I originally published this roasted chicken recipe a few years ago, and since then I’ve made several tweaks and streamlined the prep process. Roast chicken is delicious and if done right can impress even the pickiest of eaters. I mean, rumor has it that Ina Garten’s roast chicken is what prompted Prince Harry to propose to Meghan Markle.

The older I get the less patience I have, and the more effort I’m willing to put into streamlining everything in my life. When I originally posted this herb roasted chicken the prep work involved starting a day ahead, spatchcocking, and a dry brine overnight. I’ve scaled it down, and now you can go from grocery store to kitchen table in less than 2 hours.

METHOD

First things first, chose a smaller bird. I’ve found that 3.5- 4 lbs is the sweet spot for roasting chicken. It cooks quickly and you don’t run the risk of overcooking the white meat while the dark meat is undercooked.

Second, cook the bird at 2 different temperatures. I start out cooking it at a higher temp to ensure it browns and gets crispy. Half way thru I lower the heat which helps it stay moist.

Third, buy the highest quality bird you can afford. The quality of your ingredients will make or break your dish. I got this heirloom chicken from Trader Joe’s for less than $20. The better the quality the better it tastes and the less ingredients you need.

With that being said, let’s get cooking.

Gather your ingredients.

Combine the herbs, butter, garlic and lemon zest for your compound butter.

Pat chicken dry and spread compound butter under the skin.

Drizzle the top of the chicken liberally with olive oil.

Salt the chicken liberally, making sure to cover the whole surface.

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Once it’s done it will look like this.

Slice it up and service!