Perfectly Roasted Chicken

Hello again! I apologize for not writing more frequently. Our life has been filled with parties for weddings and anniversaries, road trips, and work. It’s crazy!

I usually bake once a week for Daniel’s office and have been since he started his internship there. Granted, some weeks are more hectic than others, so sometimes they don’t get any goodies. Anyway, this is usually why I share baking recipes-I love to bake, but don’t want the calories sitting in our house. So what do I do? Keep a few bites and send it off to L.G. Barcus!

This recipe, however, is not a baking recipe. I love chicken any way you can cook it, but wanted something new. I am a white-meat girl and that’s usually all Daniel gets, although he likes dark. For some reason, as easy and simple as it is, people don’t really roast chickens anymore… so I found a great recipe. It is delicious-and cheap. I found whole chickens for $.69/lb last week and a few weeks back and bought a few to freeze. The recipe calls for fresh thyme, but I don’t buy fresh herbs or grow them so I used dried and it was great. Enjoy!


Roasted Chicken


• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme (or a few tbsp dried)
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise (or a few tbsp minced from jar)
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion peeled, quarters, and sections pulled apart.
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 Potatoes, peeled, cleaned, and halved
• Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and potatoes in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, a little thyme and olive oil.

Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

*TIP* Carrots and onions are FANTASTIC. I would recommend 2 onions if you really like them, and TONS of carrots!

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours uncovered, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.


*TIP* It is super important to let the chicken rest. If won’t get cold, don’t worry. If you cut it right away, the juices will run out of the meat. Let it rest, girl!


Check back soon- I’ll have a recipe for my Grandma’s slaw (no mayo!) and Blueberry Coffeecake Muffins. Hello!