Slow Roasted Chicken Recipe With Fennel Garlic And Thyme

Slow Roasted Chicken Recipe With Fennel Garlic And Thyme

Indulge in the comforting flavors of this slow roasted chicken recipe. Tender juicy meat seasoned with garlic, thyme, and fennel.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 1 20

Cook Time 1 45

Rest Time 20

Total Time 3 25

Servings

Calories 380kcal

Author Rebecca Taig

Ingredients

4-5 pound whole chicken, giblets removed, and patted dry
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
1 whole garlic bulb, divided
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced, plus 8 sprigs for the cavity
1½ teaspoons salt, plus additional for cavity
½ teaspoon black pepper, plus additional for cavity
2 teaspoons ground fennel
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lemon, sliced in half for the cavity

Instructions

Bring the chicken to room temperature. One hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Discard the neck and giblets inside the cavity, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. You want the chicken to be as dry as possible. Place the chicken on a large plate to rest at room temperature.
Create the rub mixture. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Cut the garlic bulb in half crosswise. Squeeze out 3 garlic cloves and run them through a garlic press. Place the pressed garlic into a small bowl. Add the olive oil, minced thyme, ground fennel, red pepper flakes, 1½ teaspoons of salt, and black pepper. Stir the rub mixture together with a spoon and set the bowl aside.
Apply the rub mixture. Place the chicken in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan breast side up. Lightly season the inside of the cavity with additional salt and black pepper. Grab the rub mixture. Carefully loosen the skin over the chicken breasts, and thoroughly rub the mixture under the skin of the breasts, ensuring even coverage for maximum flavor. Rub the remaining mixture over the entire outside of the chicken, including the back and any exposed areas.
Stuff the cavity and truss the legs. Slice the lemon in half and stuff one-half of the lemon inside the cavity along with the remaining garlic bulb (peel included), and several sprigs of thyme. Pull the wing tips back and truss the legs with kitchen twine.
Bake. Slow roast the chicken on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes or up to 3 hours. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the inner thigh reads 165°F and the juices run clear.
*Optional* Once the chicken reaches 165°F, broil for 2-3 minutes to ensure extra crispy deep golden brown skin. Watch carefully to avoid the chicken from burning.
Let the chicken rest. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest in the skillet for 15-20 minutes. On a large carving board, carefully carve the chicken and then transfer it to a serving platter.

Notes

COOKING TIME

I've made this recipe several times and because our oven runs hot, it only takes 1 hour and 45 minutes for the chicken to fully cook, but it can take up to 3 hours depending on your oven. Therefore I recommend checking the internal temperature of the chicken after 90 minutes to estimate how much longer it needs to cook.

Nutrition