Garlicky Roast Chicken

Ingredients

1. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2. One 3 1/2-pound chicken
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 2 heads of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
5. 3 tablespoons water

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Rub the butter all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Season the skin and cavity with salt and pepper. Put half of the garlic in the cavity. Tie the legs together.
2. Spread the remaining garlic cloves in the center of a medium roasting pan and set the chicken on top. Pour the water into the pan and roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally; the bird is done if the juices run clear when an inner thigh is pierced. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Discard the string. Carve the chicken and serve it with the roasted garlic cloves from the pan.