Roast Chicken With Pears & Sage Recipe
Ingredients
| Whole chicken | 1 | |
| 1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh sage leaves plus 6 sprigs | ||
| 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper | ||
| 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon margarine or butter, softened | ||
| Salt | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices | ||
| 2 medium Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and each cut into quarters | ||
Directions
1. Heat an electric oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; refrigerate for use another day.
3. Rinse chicken with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels.
4. In small bowl, stir sliced sage, pepper, 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
5. With fingertips, gently separate skin from meat on breast and thighs.
6. Sprinkle herb mixture on meat under skin.
7. Place sage sprigs inside cavity of chicken.
8. Sprinkle outside of chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
9. With breast side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of chicken so wings stay in place.
10. With string, tie legs together.
11. In small roasting pan (about 14" by 10"), in oven, melt remaining margarine or butter.
12. Remove pan from oven; stir in sliced onion and 1/4 cup water.
13. Place chicken, breast side up, on small rack in roasting pan with onion.
14. Roast chicken and onion 30 minutes.
15. Add pears and roast about 30 minutes longer Chicken is done when temperature on meat thermometer reaches 175° to 180°F. and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife.
16. Place chicken on warm platter; let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier carving.
17. Meanwhile, remove rack from pan.
18. Skim and discard fat from pear mixture.
19. Transfer pear mixture to platter with chicken.
20. Remove skin from chicken before eating if you like.
2. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; refrigerate for use another day.
3. Rinse chicken with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels.
4. In small bowl, stir sliced sage, pepper, 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
5. With fingertips, gently separate skin from meat on breast and thighs.
6. Sprinkle herb mixture on meat under skin.
7. Place sage sprigs inside cavity of chicken.
8. Sprinkle outside of chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
9. With breast side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of chicken so wings stay in place.
10. With string, tie legs together.
11. In small roasting pan (about 14" by 10"), in oven, melt remaining margarine or butter.
12. Remove pan from oven; stir in sliced onion and 1/4 cup water.
13. Place chicken, breast side up, on small rack in roasting pan with onion.
14. Roast chicken and onion 30 minutes.
15. Add pears and roast about 30 minutes longer Chicken is done when temperature on meat thermometer reaches 175° to 180°F. and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife.
16. Place chicken on warm platter; let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier carving.
17. Meanwhile, remove rack from pan.
18. Skim and discard fat from pear mixture.
19. Transfer pear mixture to platter with chicken.
20. Remove skin from chicken before eating if you like.
Chef
