ROAST CHICKEN WITH SICILIAN SPICE

There are few things better than a properly roasted, well-seasoned chicken. Roast your chicken in the oven or on a spit, and be aware the spit may take a little longer. But if you’re game, it’s well worth it, just allow an extra 15 to 20 minutes on the spit.

1 whole chicken, about 3 ½ lbs
2 TBL sea salt
2 TBL unsalted butter, melted
2-3 TBL Sicilian Spice
A handful of garden herbs: thyme, savory, sage, parsley, a little oregano, etc.
½ lemon cut into 3 or 4 slices, or a few strips of lemon peel
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with a knife

Salt chicken inside and out with 2 tablespoons sea salt. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. When ready to roast, temper chicken by leaving it at temperature for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 425ᵒ F. Tie herbs in a bundle and stuff into the chicken cavity along with lemon and garlic. Brush skin with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with Sicilian spice. Set chicken on a roasting rack and place in the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 25 minutes at 425ᵒ F. Rotate pan 180 degrees and roast 20-25 minutes more, until the skin is well browned and crisp. Turn oven down to 375ᵒ F. Brush again more with melted butter. Rotate pan and roast chicken 35 to 40 minutes more, depending on size, and the internal temperature measures 165ᵒ F at the deepest part of breast and leg, near the bone. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over the finished chicken. Allow chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving bird into 8 pieces. Transfer chicken to a warm serving platter, and pour pan juices over chicken. Et voilà!

A good bottle of full-bodied white or medium-body red will do.

Chicken with Sicilian spice