Roasted Chicken with Herb Butter, Onions and Garlic

7 T unsalted butter brought to room temperature
1 T chopped fresh flat leaf parsley plus 3 large sprigs
1 T finely chopped fresh thyme plus 3 large sprigs
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary plus 3 large sprigs
1/4 t fennel seeds crushed
1/2 t kosher salt plus additional as needed for seasoning
1 wole 3 pound chicken giblets removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 medium onions peeled and quartered
14 cloves garlic peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine of drinkable quality
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 t a/p flour

1. Preheat oven to 425*, position rack in bottom third of oven. Mix butter, chopped herbs, fennel seeds and 1/2 kosher salt in small bowl, blend well.
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper toweling. Remove and discard any large pieces of fat. Season cavity of chicken with s&p; fill with herb sprigs.
3. Cut off wings.
   
4. Starting at neck end of chicken, gently slide your fingers under skin of breast and upper part of legs, loosening skin from meat. Spread 3 T of the herb butter under skin of breast and upper leg meat. Place chicken on a rack in a large roasting pan; tie legs together with butcher's twine to hold its shape. Scatter onions around chicken. Season chicken and onions with s&p.
5. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter the garlic cloves around chicken. Brush chicken onions and garlic with 1 T of the herb butter then return to oven and continue roasting for 30 minutes more.
6. Remove chicken from oven. Reserve 1 T of herb butter for sauce, and brush remainder on chicken and vegetables.
7. Return to oven, continue roasting until chicken is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180*, about 30 mins. longer. Tilt chicken so juices from cavity drain into roasting pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter, surround with the onions and garlic, then tent loosely with aluminum foil.
8. Pour pan drippings into gravy separator and set aside. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, pour wine into pan, quickly scraping up any browned bits that have formed on bottom of pan. Add stock to pan and bring to a simmer. Spoon off and discard fat that has accumulated in the gravy separator; add defatted pan drippings to the pan.
9. Stir the reserved T of herb butter and flour together to make paste. Bring liquid in roasting pan to simmer; whisk in butter/flour paste. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally. Season with s&p, serve with chicken.

This recipe is from a Viking cooking school I attended. It's a super simple dish to prepare and our chef did not deglaze the pan (#8 and 9) but just included instructions for that. I wouldn'tve known what to do if the dish had been any more moist than it already was..... it was fabulous.