Roast Chicken with Saffron Butter

Ingredients:

    2 TBS butter, unsalted, melted

    1/2 tsp saffron, grounded

    4 lb whole roasting chicken

    1/2 onion, quartered

    1 sprig of rosemary, fresh

    1/2 lemon, quartered

    3/4 tsp salt

    3/8 tsp black pepper, ground

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine:

        2 TBS butter, unsalted , melted

        1/2 tsp saffron , grounded

Preheat oven to 425ºF and remove from the refrigerator:

        4 lb whole roasting chicken

If the giblets and neck are in the chicken cavity, remove them and reserve the giblets.

Rinse chicken and cavity with water and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a roasting pan with rack.

Stuff inside the cavity of the chicken:

        1/2 onion , quartered

        1 sprig of rosemary, fresh

        1/2 lemon , quartered

        1/4 tsp salt

        1/8 tsp black pepper, ground

Using kitchen twine, tie the legs of the chicken together (optional).

Brush the entire chicken with the golden saffron butter, brushing under the skin of the chicken breast, as well.

Season the entire chicken with:

        1/2 tsp salt

        1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

Roast chicken for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350ºF.

Roast chicken until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170ºF, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.

If chicken starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Tilt chicken to allow juices from cavity to run into roasting pan.

Transfer chicken to platter, cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes, allowing internal temperature to rise.

Spoon and discard fat from surface of pan juices. You can also use a fat separator.

Serve chicken with pan juices on the side.