"Wine-Can" Provencal Roasted Chicken

I love beer can chicken. Love. It. Last winter, when it was too cold to grill, I tried making it in the oven with some success, but it just didn't taste the same and I ended up being disappointed.

Then, a lightbulb went off in my head. Why not try making it with wine instead of beer? The idea seemed much more oven-friendly and perfect for a cold Sunday evening. About 3 months later, I actually made it. (If you're a regular reader of my blog, you've probably noticed a pattern. I get an idea but then don't act on it for months. I'm trying to get better).

We both really liked this. The wine made the chicken nice and moist and the skin was nice and crispy and the meat had a ton of flavor. I'd definitely do this again. I didn't follow a recipe, so here's a description of what I did:

Wine-Can Provencal Roasted Chicken
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
Inside Rub
1 (3-4 lb) chicken
3 TBSP butter (or so), softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
2-ish TSP herbes de Provence
1/4 dried Parsley
1/4 tsp dried basil

Outside Rub
2-ish TSP herbes de Provence
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp dried Parsley
2-3 TBSP olive oil

wedge onion
white wine
Minced garlic
fresh herbs (I used rosemary and oregano)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken and thoroughly pat dry. Set aside for a few minutes.

Clean out a beer (or soda) can. Pour wine about 3/4 of the way. Add minced garlic and some fresh herbs to the can. Put in beer can holder for chicken.

Mix together all the butter rub ingredients. Find a few natural openings in the chicken skin and stick a clump under the skin and start to massage it in so that the skin is mostly covered in this rub. Do this on the breasts, legs, and thighs. Put any remaining butter mixture in the cavity.

Place the chicken on the beer can holder.

Mix together the oil rub ingredients and use a brush to rub this mixture all over the chicken.

Place a small onion wedge in the neck of the chicken to prevent any air from escaping.

Bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs or until the chicken is done and juices run clear.

Remove from the beer can holder and let stand for 5-10 minutes before carving.