Herb Stuffed Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• One 5 pound chicken
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh herbs, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Set a roasting pan in the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the chicken, including the cavity, with water, then dry it well with paper towels. Season the inside of the cavity with salt.
2. At the narrow end of the breast, take hold of the skin and lift it carefully. Work your fingers between the skin and breast meat to loosen it, being careful to leave the skin intact. Add a small sprinkle of salt into those pockets, then pack in as much of the chopped herb mixture as will fit.
3. Fill the cavity with the lemon, bay leaves, rosemary, and any herbs left over. Stretch the breast skin back into place so the meat is completely covered. Tuck in the wings and tie the chicken with kitchen string.
4. Coat the outside of the chicken with olive oil, then season it all over with salt and pepper. Carefully take the hot roasting pan out of the oven and pour a little oil into the pan. Set the chicken in the pan with a breast side angled down, and return the pan to the oven.
5. Roast for 5 minutes, then rotate the chicken so the other breast side rests against the pan; roast for another 5 minutes. This quick angled start helps the breast meat brown.
6. Turn the chicken again so it sits breast-side up. Continue roasting for 45 min to 1 hour, until the juices are clear rather than pink when you pierce both the breast and thigh with the tip of a knife; the breast and thigh should be about 165 degrees F.