Roasted Chicken

So as you know I really wanted to have dressing, and when there is dressing there should be a roasted bird right?  Well my grocery store had whole roaster chickens on sale for $.88/pound last week so I managed to get a 7lbs bird pretty cheap and tonight was its night to be the star of my kitchen.  This was only the second chicken that I have ever roasted and I have to say it came out pretty darn good.  Even the taste tester used the words "Wicked Awesome" after trying out a leg!  Now I warn you...make sure you have a few hours to kill before you want to eat as the bird will take some time and requires regular basting.

Roasted Chicken

1 Whole Chicken
Crushed Dried Rosemary
Dried Thyme
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper
2TB Olive Oil
1 Small Onion - Quartered

First we need to prep the chicken. Remove it from its packaging, reach into the body cavity and remove the giblets - traditionally they will be in a baggie inside the cavity. I do not use them and I just discard them, however many people will save them to make gravy or other recipes. Next run the chicken under cold water and give it a rub down, make sure to also rinse out the interior of the bird. This will help to remove any bacteria that is on the bird. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a roasting dish.

Liberally sprinkle the outside of the bird and the interior of the body cavity with the Rosemary, Thyme, Onion Power and Salt & Pepper. With your hands rub the seasonings in, then drizzle the olive oil over both sides of the bird and also rub it around to evenly coat the bird, lastly put the onion inside of the cavity. Place the bird breast side up in your pan and place in a 450° oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375° and continue to cook the bird in 20 minutes intervals.

The general rule of thumb is for every pound of meat you will cook the bird for 20 minutes. I've found that my oven tends to cook hot so for me it was more like 15 minutes for every pound until the little Popper popped.

A crucial, yes CRUCIAL step to having a juicy bird is to baste the bird. Every 20 minutes quickly remove the chicken from the oven, and spoon the drippings all over the top of the bird, this helps to lock in the flavor and moisture and ensures a nice crispy skin.

Once the bird is finished cooking remove from the oven and allow it to sit, covered with foil for 15-20 minutes. Cutting into the bird right away will cause all of its juices to run out onto the plate instead of staying in the bird.

Carve & Enjoy!

Gravy Tip: I like to take the drippings from the pan and transfer to a saute pan, mix 1/2C chicken stock with 2-3TB corn starch then incorporate the corn starch mix to the drippings with a whisk. Bring up to a boil while whisking and the gravy will thicken almost immediately. If it gets too thick just add some more chicken stock.

Other Tips: If you love to have fresh chicken stock on hand or are looking to make a great chicken stew, keep the body of the chicken once you have removed the meat and either place in a large pot of water and boil right away or put in your refrigerator or freezer and boil in a few days to create a wonderful deep flavorful homemade broth.

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WW: Points & Serving Size will vary depending upon light meat/dark meat and whether or not you consume the skin.