Roasted Chicken with Black Truffle Oil Drizzle

This is one of the easiest roasted chicken recipes you'll find. By removing the backbone from the chicken and flattening it out, the chicken cooks faster and more evenly. This nice little chicken roasted on top of a layer of onions, carrots, and celery. Within an hour, we were ready to eat. Oh yes, that tempting Truffle Oil drizzle? You can purchase it from http://kingsoliveoil.com/ by clicking on the link. A little goes a long way, but that little bit of drizzle adds an amazing finishing flavor. You will be proud to serve this dish to family AND guests.

1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken
2 T. olive oil
1 T. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 t. chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 - 4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves
2 large onions, thickly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery, ends trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 t. to 1 T. truffle oil, to drizzle
 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken well inside and out with water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle thyme leaves over chicken.

Arrange the onion slices, carrots, celery and bay leaf in the bottom of a small roasting pan in such a way as to make a bed for the chicken to lie on while roasting.  Place rosemary sprigs on top.

As noted above, we spatchcocked the chicken by removing the backbone with kitchen shears, turning the chicken breast side up and pressing downward on the breast bone until it breaks and the chicken can be flattened.

You can certainly roast the bird whole, if desired.

Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables, breast side up, and roast in the oven until the skin is golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, 30 to 45 minutes longer.

Remove the chicken from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before carving. When ready to serve the chicken, carve into 8 pieces and serve, drizzled with truffle oil to taste. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs if desired. 

Adapted from recipe of Emeril Lagasse