Whole (Christmas) chicken from the oven

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• Salt
• Pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or finely ground onion)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 sprigs rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 60 g butter
• and finally 1 teaspoon curry powder

Instructions

1. 1

   Take the chicken out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking so it can come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper.In a bowl mix the olive oil (3 tablespoons) with paprika (2 teaspoons), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), onion powder (1 teaspoon), thyme (1 teaspoon), rosemary (3 sprigs), curry powder (if desired), salt and pepper. Stir until you have an even herb oil.Pat the chicken dry once more with kitchen paper.Rub the entire chicken with the herb-oil mixture: coat both the outside and (carefully) the inside of the cavity for maximum flavour. Make sure the oil and spices are well distributed; you can also gently work some of the seasoned oil under the skin (this adds extra flavour and helps keep the meat juicy).Place the chicken in the roasting pan and put a small knob of butter on top of the chicken.Put the chicken in the preheated oven.Start with 1.5 hours at 180°C, then reduce to 150°C. Every 30 minutes place a fresh knob of butter on the chicken. This keeps the chicken moist and helps create a rich jus in the roasting pan.Check that the chicken is cooked using a meat thermometer. Inserted into the thickest part of the bird (the thigh) the temperature should be around 70°C. For extra-crispy skin you can briefly switch on the grill or top-heat setting at the end (5–10 min). Watch that the butter does not burn.Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest (5 min) loosely covered with aluminium foil. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the chicken juicier when carving.When serving the chicken, you can pour the jus from the roasting pan into a gravy boat to serve later with the vegetables.And voilà! The (Christmas) chicken is ready!