Whole Roasted Chicken


Photo and Recipe both from The Pioneer Women

So I had an entire chicken in the fridge, intended for Coq au Vin, or some fancy-type recipe. I kept putting off making it because A. I don't like cutting up or looking at entire plucked raw chickens and B. It took 3-4 hours to prepare. So, instead of wasting the chicken, I found this simple recipe for roasting it whole. I do like buying the whole roasted chickens at New Seasons or Fred Meyer, but this was actually better, and bigger!

On another note, I left the oven rack too high in the oven, and by the time it was preheated to 450 I didn't want to move it down - so the bird was almost touching the broiler plate on the oven roof. When the oil really got cracklin' it splattered up, making smoke and setting off the smoke alarm. Tabor was sleeping, the alarm was right outside his door, and IT WENT OFF THREE DIFFERENT TIMES!!! I was sooooo irritated by the third time I just flung all the door open and let the house freeze down to 60 and rain in the doors. Anyway, Tabor never woke up, and the chicken was really good (for only 5 minutes of effort and minimal ingredient). It didn't taste 'chickeny' so I consider that a success.

On a third note, I took the chicken, and Tabor, to Mari's house - where she babysat both so I could go to prenatal swim class. I don't actually do the exercises too much, but for $3 I can bounce around in 88 degree water for an hour and talk to 30 other pregnant ladies about kegels - so well worth it. After the 'spa' I returned to Mari's where we dined on chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and had a lovely evening out of the house. THANKS AUNTIE MARI!

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
2 Tablespoon oil
1-2 Tablespoon herbs (I USED DRY ROSEMARY, THYME, BASIL + OREGONO, RECIPE ASKED FOR FRESH, BUT IT WAS JUST FINE WITH DRIED HERBS)
1 Tablespoot Sea or Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon pepper


Optional for Inside Bird:
1 old lemon
4 cloves garlic
1/2 leftover onion
* I JUST LOOSELY CHOPPED UP THE ABOVE AND SHOVED IT INSIDE THE DEAD BIRD. =) I think it was a nice 'touch'. =)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Move oven rack to lowest level.
1. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry (THIS IS IMPORTANT, THE BIRD HAS TO BE DRY SO THE OIL CAN ABSORB (like a poultry lotion), set on baking sheet.
2. Stuff the inside of the bird with lemon, garlic, onion
3. Mix herbs, salt and peppers and oil in a small bowl.
4. Rub the oil/herb mixture all over exterior of chicken
5. Roast chicken in oven for 60-70 minutes.
6. IMPORTANT: Let chicken 'sit' for 10-15 minutes after roasting to redistribute the juices. If you dig in right away, the juice runs out, making the meat dry.

NOTE: Use exhaust fan. Can roast 6 chickens at once (3 per sheet, two shelves).