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wishbone roast chicken with herb butter

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Chicken

Wishbone Roast Chicken with Herb Butter

As I was slicing into this chicken, I suddenly remembered this story: one day my daughter excitedly said to her preschool teacher “Guess what? Chickens have a game inside them and it’s called a wishbone! Wishbones are good because you can make wishes on them.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds chicken
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1 shallot, sliced thinly
  • 1 tablespoon salt and pepper
  • For the herb butter
  • 1/4 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced parsley
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced chives

Directions

  • Wash and dry chicken. Using your hand, spread softened butter under skin on breasts, especially the part near the neck. Put shallots under skin all around. Sprinkle pepper, then salt the bird very generously all over. The key to a crispy skin is a dry bird, plenty of salt, and a hot oven. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, for 8 hours to overnight.
  • For herb butter, soften the butter and add the other ingredients. Mash with fork to mix thoroughly, then scrape into saran wrap. Wrap up the butter to form a tube and chill in refrigerator.
  • To roast chicken, preheat oven to 400° F. Use only one rack, placed in the bottom slot of your oven.
  • Place chicken feet side down on tube insert that is placed into a 9-inch cake pan. This forms a stable base that will catch the drippings without leaking out. Tuck wing tips behind the neck and pull the legs out to separate them from the breast. This helps them cook a little faster so the breast won’t dry out. If the skin has torn or is short, you can use a toothpick and pin it to the bottom end of the breast. Place the bird into oven and roast for 55 minutes (my chicken was a little under 4 lbs and was cooked perfectly at this time.)
  • Remove nicely browned chicken from oven. Let rest on tube while preparing the rest of your dinner.
  • Slice legs from bird, then carve breasts from bones. Be careful not to cut the wishbone, which is near the neck cavity on the front top of the breast! I’ve disappointed my kids many times by accidently breaking the wishbone prematurely. Pick off the goodies from the rest of the bird and share them with your favorite helper(s).
  • Slice the herb butter and serve with the carved chicken. A little dab of butter on the chicken goes a long way.
  • Play wishbone game.

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