Roasted Chicken with White Wine Sauce

 You always here the advice "Never go to the grocery store hungry." It seems like a good rule to follow, but it just isn't always convenient. As I walked through the blast of heat in the entrance of the grocery store, I was overcome by the smell of the roatiseree chickens. They always smell so good. They keep them right by the check out next to the candy. It's like oven roasted meat candy they know you will buy on a whim.

These chickens smelled so good I reorganized my grocery list to use one of those instead of frozen chicken breasts. These chickens smelled so good in fact that by the time I had finished my shopping everyone else had already bought them all. Not a roasted chicken in sight! 

OK, there was one left, but it was already open and I wasn't quite that desperate.

I headed back to the meat department and I got my own chicken. "Other people need pre roasted chicken, I can totally do this myself!"  It was indeed the truth and you can do the same!

Ingredients

1 small roasting chicken, giblets removed
1 onion, cut in quarters
1 lemon split in half
4 tablespoons of butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons season salt
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. First, clean up the bird by rinsing it with cool water.  Make sure you fill up the insides and dump it out. Give it a little shimmy to get all the water out of the inside. Yes, this part is a little gross but it is worth it. Sprinkle a little season salt on the inside of the cavity. Then place the onion and lemon pieces on the inside. This bird was oddly shaped so I could only fit 3 of the 4 pieces of onion.

Tie the legs together gathering the tail bit. I'm sure there's a technical term for it but make sure you tie this little "booty blob" in with the legs or it will burn in your pan. Once you have tied the chicken up, smear on half of the butter. Sprinkle the remaining season salt on the bird and smear the rest of the butter on. This butter, season, butter layering helps make a nice and crispy crust on the outside.

Place your chicken in a roasting pan or any other large pan that works well in the oven.

Bake the chicken for about an hour and a half at 375 degrees. You will know this is done by a few tests:

1. A meat thermometer should read 165 degrees for the white meat and 165 for the thigh.

2. Take a gentle stab into the thigh area. If the juices are clear, then the chicken is done.

3. If the leg pulls away from the bird easily, it is ready!

The outside will also be super delicious and brown! The pan will have collected some super tasty bits you will really want to use. 

Take the roasted bird of beauty out of the pan and cover it in foil. 

Pour off all but two tablespoons of the fat and heat the pan to medium low. Then add two tablespoons of flour. Stir this into the greasy meaty bit filled mixture and cook over medium heat. Once this has had a chance to cook for about two minutes add the wine and chicken stock whisking furiously to keep the sauce smooth. Let this come to a boil for a few minutes to burn off all the alcohol, but do not stop whisking. Taste it to see if it needs any extra seasonings. Once this has finished cooking, turn off the stove and carve up your anything but foul meal!

I like to serve this with some yummy roasted veggies and a tasty tater. Check back on Thursday for a super easy Hassleback Potato recipe.