Roasted Chicken & Archgate Cellars Chardonnay

Nothing is quite as symbolic of the holidays as a dinner table full of the people you love. And nothing is more of a holiday dinner staple than a delicious, roasted chicken. The following recipe is as flavorful as it is classic, and lucky for us, it pairs absolutely beautifully with the Weibel Archgate Cellars Chardonnay. The flavors of apple, pear, and citrus perfectly accompany the thyme-infused chicken without overwhelming its vibrant flavor.

So get the chicken roasting, the wine flowing, and the laughter rolling this holiday season!

Ingredients:

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges

Olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Pair with Weibel Chardonnay and enjoy!

*Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten, via foodnetwork.com