Poulet Rôti aux Herbes de Provence

A Sunday roast chicken is one of the most beloved rituals in French home cooking. The technique is simple — a good free-range bird, a generous seasoning of herbes de Provence under and over the skin, and a hot oven — but the result is golden, fragrant and deeply satisfying. Served with the pan juices and a crisp green salad, it needs nothing more.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole free-range chicken, about 1.6kg (3.5 lb)
• 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
• 2 tsp (6g) dried herbes de Provence (thyme, rosemary, savory, lavender)
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled and lightly crushed
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 1 small bunch fresh rosemary
• 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp (5g) flaky sea salt
• ½ tsp (2g) black pepper
• 150ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
• 150ml (⅔ cup) chicken stock

Instructions

1. Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Mix the butter with herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Ease your fingers under the breast skin and push the herb butter underneath. Rub any remaining butter all over the skin.
3. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves and fresh herb sprigs. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Place breast-side up in a roasting tin. Roast at 220°C for 15 minutes to colour the skin, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and roast a further 55–65 minutes, until the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh joint.
5. Transfer the chicken to a board and rest 10–15 minutes, loosely tented with foil.
6. Tilt the roasting tin and spoon off excess fat. Set over medium heat, add the wine and stock, and scrape up all the caramelised bits. Simmer 3–4 minutes to a light jus.
7. Carve and serve with the pan jus drizzled over.

Cook's Notes: Do not skip resting the bird — it makes the difference between dry and juicy meat. Leftover chicken is wonderful cold the next day in a salad or sandwich.