Lemon Roasted Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes

Bright flavors enhance this deliciously roasted chicken! Lemon lends its magic in two ways - the juice and the flavorful zest. The pairing of fresh basil and parsley with the lemon completes the flavor profile. The chicken stays juicy thanks to the compound butter tucked under the skin of the chicken, and a “turn-while-roasting” routine that promotes even cooking. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped parsley + 1/8 cup chopped parsley, for garnish
2 lemons, zested, and then cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, finely chopped
Flaky coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 pounds fingerling potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with the oven rack positioned in the lower third of the oven to leave enough headspace for the deep pan and the roasting chicken.
2. Prepare the chicken for roasting. Remove any giblets or neck bones from the cavities. Place the chicken on a plate or platter and allow it to reach room temperature. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the breast of the chicken to make space for inserting the herb butter.
3. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, basil, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, and shallots. Place two-thirds of the herb butter mixture under the skin of the chicken. Rub the remaining third of the butter in the inside cavity of the bird. Loosely stuff the lemon wedges inside the bird; however, don’t overcrowd. Tuck the wings in and tie the legs together to keep them close to the body of the chicken during roasting. Sprinkle the chicken generously with 2 teaspoons of the coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the fingerling potatoes by washing, drying, and tossing in 2 tablespoon of olive oil until lightly coated. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
5. Place the potatoes in the bottom of a lightly oiled Dutch oven or large roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes, breast-side up.
6. Roast the chicken and potatoes in the hot oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the chicken over, breast-side down, and roast for 20 more minutes. Turn the chicken, once again, breast-side up for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest point of the chicken (between the breast and thigh) reaches 165 degrees F.
7. Transfer the roasted chicken to a carving board or platter and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before carving. With a slotted spoon, remove the roasted potatoes and arrange around the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy the roasted flavors of spring.