ROAST CHICKEN FOR HARRY

Had I known a perfectly roasted chicken was all it would take to secure an engagement proposal from Prince Harry, I would have sent my dinner invitation ages ago! Obviously, that ship has sailed (for both of us), so the best I can hope for is that somehow this recipe makes its way to Meghan Markle and this contributes to their happily ever after. This roast chicken is incredibly delicious and simple at the same time. The rub, made with just a few simple ingredients, takes only a few minutes to prepare. It is good for 3 months if stored in the refrigerator and is enough for two or three chickens, so you can enjoy this again with very little effort.

                       1                        3.5- to 4-pound roasting chicken*
               ¼ cup                        smoked or sweet paprika (I've used both)                                   
              ¼  cup                        brown sugar, moderately packed
               ¼ cup                        kosher salt
    1 tablespoon                        minced fresh rosemary
    1 tablespoon                        minced fresh thyme
      ¼ teaspoon                        freshly ground black or white pepper

                        1                        lemon, quartered lengthwise
                        1                        head garlic, cut in half horizontally
                        2                       sprigs of fresh rosemary
                        6                       sprigs of fresh thyme
      1 tablespoon                       butter

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. To make the rub, add the paprika, brown sugar, salt, minced rosemary, minced thyme, and pepper into a bowl and combine well using your hands.

Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1½ -2 teaspoons of rub inside the cavity of the chicken. Insert 2 quarters of the lemon, garlic, and sprigs of rosemary and thyme inside the cavity. Using your hands, pat the rub onto the skin of the entire chicken, including legs and wings. (Remember, this rub is enough for a few chickens, so you won't need to use it all.) Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the chicken in a roasting pan or dish with sides, and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken. Place a pat of butter (about 1 tablespoon) on top of the center of the chicken near the cavity.

Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, lay a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the chicken to keep the rub from burning. Roast for another 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

*For roasting time, I use Julia Child’s formula of 45 minutes plus 7 minutes for each pound, and it has never failed me. So a larger or smaller chicken may be used, and roasting time should be calculated using this formula.