Roasted Chicken with Ginger, Chile, and Lime

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon butter at room temperature
• 1 shallot finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 piece (2 inches long) fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeño chile
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 whole chicken (3 ½ pounds)
• 2 large onions thickly sliced
• 1 lime cut into 8 wedges (optional)

Instructions

1. 1
   Make the ginger-chile butter: In a small bowl, using a spoon, mash together 2 tablespoons butter, shallot, ginger, jalapeño, lime juice, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
2. 2
   Preheat oven to 425°. Using fingers, gently loosen skin from chicken breasts. With a small spoon, insert butter mixture evenly between skin and meat; pat skin back down. Tie chicken legs together with cotton kitchen twine; tuck wing tips underneath. Rub chicken with remaining ½ teaspoon butter; season generously with salt and pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange onions in a single layer; place chicken on top.
3. 3
   Roast until chicken is well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh (without touching bone) reads 175°, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and tent with oil; let rest 10 minutes (the temperature will rise by about 5 degrees). On baking sheet, stir onions together with pan juices. Carve chicken; serve with onions and, if desired, lime wedges.