Baked Chicken with Herbs, Garlic & Shallots

This recipe is very similar to one my mother often cooked when I was growing up; now it's a staple of my weeknight dinner repertoire. Vary the herbs as you like, but stick to the hardy ones—thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano. They'll roast without burning and have a stronger flavor.

• 1 chicken (3-1/2 to 4 lb.), cut into quarters
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 6 medium shallots, cut in half and peeled
• 8 large garlic cloves, peeled
• Leaves stripped from 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• Leaves stripped from 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 425°F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut away any excess fat and tuck the wings behind each breast.

Put the butter into a large, shallow baking pan (the 10-1/2x15-1/2-inch Pyrex pan is ideal for this). Put the pan into the oven while it's heating. When the butter is melted (about 10 minutes), remove the pan and set it on a heatproof surface or on a couple of potholders. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and swirl the pan to coat the ingredients in the butter.

Dredge the chicken, skin side down, in the butter and herb mixture, and arrange, skin side up, in the pan. Sprinkle the chicken generously with the salt and pepper. Bake until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve with the shallots and garlic along with a drizzle of the pan drippings.