Roast Chicken with Herb Butter, Onions and Garlic

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons flour 
• 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt 
• 0.5 cup wine dry white
• 0.3 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
• 14  garlic clove peeled
• 1 cup chicken broth canned
• 3 medium onion peeled quartered (do not remove root end)
• 1 tablespoon parsley fresh chopped
• 7 pound roasting chickens dry rinsed
• 1 tablespoon rosemary fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme sprigs fresh chopped
• 7 tablespoons butter unsalted room temperature

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• roasting pan
• wooden spoon
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Mix butter, chopped herbs, fennel seeds and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in bowl; blend well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
2. Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F.
3. Sprinkle main cavity of chicken with salt and pepper; fill with herb sprigs. Starting at neck end, slide fingers under skin of breast and upper part of legs, loosening skin.
4. Spread 3 tablespoons herb butter under skin on breast and upper leg meat.
5. Place chicken on rack in large roasting pan; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Scatter onions around chicken.
6. Brush chicken and onions with 2 tablespoons herb butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Roast chicken 30 minutes.
8. Remove pan from oven. Scatter garlic cloves around chicken.
9. Brush chicken, onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon herb butter. Roast chicken and vegetables 30 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon herb butter for sauce; brush remainder on chicken and vegetables. Continue to roast until chicken is golden and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, about 30 minutes longer. Insert wooden spoon into main cavity; tilt chicken so that juices drain into pan.
10. Transfer chicken to platter; surround with onions and garlic. Tent with foil.
11. Set roasting pan over medium-high heat.
12. Add broth and wine; bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits.
13. Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup. Spoon off fat; discard fat.
14. Pour juices into medium saucepan. Stir reserved 1 tablespoon herb butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste. Bring pan juices to simmer; whisk in paste. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
15. Serve chicken with sauce.