Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
You can make the centerpiece of your holiday feast look as incredible as it tastes. This golden-skinned bird is roasted with apples and shallots, which make a beautiful, no-effort garnish for the serving platter. For another serving option, carve the chicken in advance, finely chop the apple/shallot mixture, and serve it in a pretty cut-glass bowl as a condiment alongside your favorite holiday side dishes. To get the best color on the skin, make sure the chicken is completely dry before roasting. After patting it with paper towels, the chicken will dry even further if you leave it out, uncovered, at room temperature for about 30 minutes. After stuffing the cavity, you must tuck the wings under and tie the legs together. This keeps the bird nice and compact and allows for even cooking, browning, and overall goodness of the roasted chicken. If you do not tuck and tie, you run the risk of an unevenly cooked chicken.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place apples and 10 of the shallots in bottom of a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Push apples and shallots to edges of roasting pan.
Step 2
If applicable, remove giblets from chicken, and reserve for another use. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper inside cavity of chicken. Place 3 of the thyme sprigs, 3 of the rosemary sprigs, 3 of the sage sprigs, and remaining 2 shallots inside cavity. Place chicken in center of roasting pan; tuck wings under. Brush chicken all over with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons each salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
Step 3
Roast chicken in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 160°F, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest 15 minutes.
Step 4
Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Remove and discard kitchen twine, if desired. Sprinkle apples and shallots with chopped thyme, chopped rosemary, and chopped sage. Arrange apples and shallots on the platter around chicken, and spoon any pan drippings around chicken on platter.
