Herb Chicken with Pesto Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Preheat oven to highest temperature.

Make Herb Butter: In bowl, combine all ingredients except the chicken until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This will serve as your marinade as well as your basting liquid.

Slather herb butter all over the chicken. Place reserved thyme and rosemary stems and lemon rind into chicken cavity. Truss chicken, if desired.

Place on roasting pan; let sit for 15 minutes. Place chicken in oven and bake for 15 minutes at the highest temperature to brown skin.

Turn temperature down to 180ºC and bake until the chicken juices run clear (internal temperature of 155ºC).

Make Pesto Mashed Potatoes: Boil water in stockpot; season with salt; add potatoes. Cook until fork tender; drain. Add butter and pesto; mash with fork or potato masher. Adjust seasoning, adding more pesto as desired.

Remove chicken from oven. Let sit for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with pesto mashed potatoes.