Pesto Chicken

The wonderful thing about pesto is all the things you can do with it!  I've used it this weekend as a sauce and as a seasoning for scrambled eggs so far.  Now, I have used it for roasted chicken:

Roasted Pesto Chicken

• 1 4.5-5lb free-range fryer chicken*
• 1/3 C homemade garlic scape pesto (http://csafoodie.blogspot.com/2011/06/garlic-scapes.html)

Dry chicken inside and out (to avoid steaming).  Latest wisdom indicates that it does not help (and may hurt) to wash the chicken anymore. 

Preheat oven to 425F.  Carefully separate the skin from the breast and drumsticks.  Spread about 1/4 cup pesto between the skin and meat.  Spread remaining pesto over entire chicken.  Roast at 425F for 15 minutes.

Baste chicken with fat rendered in the cooking.  Reduce heat to 350F and roast for 18-20 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165F.

Cover with vented foil for 15 minutes to temper meat (venting prevents skin from getting soft).

*CSA ingredients