Tuscan Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 medium whole chicken, patted dry
• 1 lemon, quartered

Preparation

1. Combine first 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl and mash into a paste. Transfer 1 tablespoon garlic-rosemary mixture to another bowl.
2. Add paprika to remaining garlic mixture.
3. On a work surface with breast side of chicken up, tuck wings underneath. Loosen skin from top of breast and from thigh and leg. Work half of garlic mixture under skin, then rub remaining mixture over chicken. Place lemon inside cavity.
4. Place chicken breast side up inside baking tray on top of lower rack.
5. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh registers 170°C, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Flavor Twist 1

Latin-style chicken: Leave the rosemary and paprika out of the rub and swap in 1 1/2 teaspoons each dried oregano and ground cumin. Use a quartered orange instead of the lemon in the cavity; serve with wedges of fresh lime.

Flavor Twist 2

Asian-style: Skip the paprika and lemon. Instead, combine 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger with garlic and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil-free butter. Place a quartered orange in the cavity in place of the lemon. Melt together 1/3 cup apricot preserves with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and brush over chicken 20 minutes before roasting ends. Serve with brown rice.