Poulet Rôti (Roast Chicken) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (4 lb) roasting chickens (at least 4 pounds preferred)
2 -3 teaspoons dried thyme
1 -2 teaspoon rosemary
2 -3 teaspoons garlic granules (or powder) or 2 fresh garlic cloves
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt
olive oil (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse and pat chicken dry.
If your chicken has a neck and giblets, put them in a small pot, cover with water and a little onion (dry onion or powder work too) and carrots if you have them and a little the same herbs used in the chicken, bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour, strain this and use for your gravy for extra flavor - you can also cook in canned low sodium chicken broth, for more flavor.
Mix together all your herbs and spices, rub together with your fingers or if you have a mortar and pestle, grind them a few times to blend.
Gently lift the skin from either side of the breast and using your finger push some of the herb mix under each side.
Turn over the chicken and make a small slit behind each thigh and push some herb mix under the thigh skin (this step is optional, but it makes the thighs extra tasty).
Place you chicken in a roasting pan that has been sprayed or lightly oiled, if roasting a single chicken, a cast iron frying pan is perfect for this.
If using the olive, rub or drizzle over the chicken then, rub or sprinkle extra herb mix all over the outside of the chicken (do this even without the oil, a little extra salt and pepper in the cavity is also a good thing.
You have 2 options, #1 - turn the chicken breast side down on a rack that has also been sprayed or oiled, half way through cooking turn breast up; #2 - cook the entire time breast up, the breast skin usually tears for me so I do #2, but #1 can make the breast meat a little moister.
Roast for 1- 11/2 hours or until chicken register 180 degrees on your meat thermometer (if you use a larger chicken adjust time accordingly), be sure and poke a thick part of the chicken meat and don't get too near the bone. Length of time will vary with chicken size.
Check chicken at an hour, herbs and spice on top are getting too dark loosely tent top with a piece of foil (spray first).
When done, place chicken on platter and let rest for 5- 10 minutes while you make the gravy. Drain off excess fat and make your gravy.
NOTE: Some people like to tie the legs together with kitchen twine, it does look nicer but I never bother.
I've been know to roast chicken anywhere from 375-450 degrees, 400- 425 is my norm, I decide what to use based on my schedule of when I need to put it in the oven. Lower temp mean slightly longer cooking time.