If you have time, let chicken marinate in buttermilk before roasting. This makes it even more tender and adds tang, too! Place chicken and buttermilk mixture in a large plastic bag. Push chicken down into marinade, then squeeze out as much air as possible from bag. Seal tightly with an elastic band as close to chicken as possible. Place in a large bowl. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Then proceed with recipe as written.

SERVES 3 TO 4
If you like, substitute an equal amount of basil for tarragon and replace the thyme with rosemary, oregano, or sage. Do not use dried herbs, which lose potency during cooking and turn the dish gritty. For best flavor, buy a high-quality chicken such as Bell & Evans. The chicken should not exceed 5 pounds or it won’t fit in the skillet. The chicken may slightly overhang the skillet at first, but once browned it will fit.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For a roast chicken recipe that gets the entire bird—not just the breast—seasoned throughout, we butterflied the chicken and made shallow cuts in the dark meat. A thick herb paste not only adhered to the now flat chicken but also penetrated the pockets created by the cuts, giving us the flavorful and aromatic chicken recipe we were looking for.