There is nothing like a roast chicken, and this herby, lemon roast chicken has all the flavours of summer. Prepared in the Lodge Roasting Dish, roasting in cast iron gives you crispy skin and succulent chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole large chicken
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 lemons, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons mixed herbs
• 8 cloves of garlic, left whole
• 2 shallots, chopped

METHOD:

1. Dry chicken with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper, making sure to salt inside the cavity as well as under the wings and legs.  
2. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. Take the chicken out of the fridge before preheating the oven to knock enough chill off the bird before baking.    
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
4. Squeeze half a lemon over the chicken.  Brush the butter over the skin, pouring excess inside the cavity. Season liberally with herbs. Place 2 lemon halves, 4 garlic cloves, and the chopped shallots inside the cavity. Add the remaining garlic and lemon to the roasting pan or large skillet.  
5. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in the oven and roast for 35 minutes. Remove the chicken and quickly baste. Place back in the oven and continue to roast until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through (100-120°C), approximately 45 minutes.*
6. Remove from the oven and tent with aluminium foil for 10 minutes before slicing.
7. Slice chicken and spoon on pan sauce before serving.  

If the skin starts to get too dark, tent with aluminium foil until the chicken is cooked through.