Butterflied Rosemary-Garlic Chicken

This is one of my favourite whole chicken recipes. It is really easy to put together and it tastes awesome.

INGREDIENTS

1 (4-5 pound whole chicken)

4-5 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary (About 2 sprigs)

1/4 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Place the salt and garlic in a mortar and crush with pestle until a paste forms. (You can do this in a bowl using the back of a sturdy spoon also)

Mix in the oil, pepper and rosemary and set aside.

Butterfly the chicken: Place the whole chicken, breast side down on a work surface.

With a sharp knife cut along both sides of the back bone and discard or save this for other use.

Rub the entire chicken with the garlic-rosemary mixture.

Flip the chicken over and press it down on a platter; refrigerate at least one hour before baking it.

Fit a baking pan with a metal rack so chicken will not sit in the juices and place the chicken breast side up atop the baking rack.

Cover loosely with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 1 hour.

Remove the foil and bake uncovered until cooked through, juices will run clear when poked with a fork, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.