Enjoy this easy, delicious, and healthy dinner recipe that you can get many meals out of. This roast chicken recipe keeps on giving in a good way!
We love chicken and everything about it. We love it roasted, in soup, on a salad or sandwich, and more. The simple act of roasting a really good chicken makes a chicken that keeps giving back all week long and I mean this in a good way!
There are many Sundays or other days we love to roast a chicken, so that we can eat off of it all week long. I buy my chicken from a local farmer and they can be anywhere from 3 lbs to 8 lbs. I use the smaller chickens to make soup with, but will get a good plump one when it’s time for some roasting.
You can use any seasoning you like. I’ve included one of my favorite ways to season my chicken in this recipe. I do add a few veggies for flavor, as well and then use the veggies is a variety of ways. Nothing gets wasted from my roasters.
WHAT YOU NEED
- A nice plump chicken. I use a free range, organic chicken from a farmer I know. That way I know there are no fillers, no added water or hormones, or anything else.
- Butter at room temperature. You can use oil if you prefer or some broth. My butter is from local Homestead Farm. I like to melt some butter to put on the bottom of the pan under the chicken.
- 2 medium onions peeled and quartered
- 4-6 stalks celery cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- A whole head of garlic sliced in half
- A small bulb of fennel sliced, including the top greens – not needed, but If I have I love the flavor.
- 6-8 carrots cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- 3 lemons cut in half
- Fresh herbs – for this one I use rosemary and thyme.
- Salt and pepper mixture
I like to first do all my prep work, so when it is time to work with the chicken I do not cross contaminate.
NOW IT’S TIME TO PUT THE PAN TOGETHER
- Warm oven to 375.
- Cook for 20 minutes/pound, plus 15 minutes. So, an 8 pound chicken will cook for 3 hours and 55 minutes, but a 3 pounder will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The meat thermometer should reach 180 when finished.
- In my favorite roasting pan, I pour a little melted butter. If you prefer broth or oil you can use that too. I just like a little something under my bird.
- With all of your ingredients within arms reach, unwrap your chicken and remove any parts the farmer left for you. I actually use all of these with the veggies for added flavor.
- Place your chicken on your prep board and it is time to get to work.
- Rub the chicken all over with the room temperature butter, inside and out, and then pat the salt and pepper mixture on the buttered chicken.
- While your hands are dirty, go ahead and stuff the chicken with 2-3 halves of lemons, a few pieces of the onions, the two halves of garlic, and a sprig of each herb. I also place the chicken parts around the roasting pan with dirty hands.
- Combine all the remaining ingredients and place around the chicken and salt and pepper. If you have extra melted butter you can also pour that on.
- Place the roasting pan in the hot oven and roast for the required time per pound. For the additional 15 minutes, turn the oven up to 450 to get the skin nice and golden. Sometimes before I turn the oven up, I’ll squeeze lemon juice on top.
Now It’s Time to Enjoy!
UP NEXT: Watch soon for 8 ways to use your leftover chicken and all its parts.
A ROAST CHICKEN RECIPE THAT KEEPS ON GIVING IN A GOOD WAY!
Enjoy this easy, delicious, and healthy dinner recipe that you can get many meals out of. This roast chicken recipe keeps on giving in a good way!
Ingredients
- * A nice plump chicken.
- * Butter at room temperature. You can use oil if you prefer or some broth.
- * 2 medium onions peeled and quartered
- * 4-6 stalks celery cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- * A whole head of garlic sliced in half
- * A small bulb of fennel sliced, including the top greens
- * 6-8 carrots cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- * 3 lemons cut in half
- * Fresh herbs - for this one I use rosemary and thyme.
- * Salt and pepper mixture
Instructions
- Warm oven to 375.
- Cook for 20 minutes/pound, plus 15 minutes. So, an 8 pound chicken will cook for 3 hours and 55 minutes, but a 3 pounder will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The meat thermometer should reach 180 when finished.
- In my favorite roasting pan, I pour a little melted butter. If you prefer broth or oil you can use that too. I just like a little something under my bird.
- With all of your ingredients within arms reach, unwrap your chicken and remove any parts the farmer left for you. I actually use all of these with the veggies for added flavor.
- Place your chicken on your prep board and it is time to get to work.
- Rub the chicken all over with the room temperature butter, inside and out, and then pat the salt and pepper mixture on the buttered chicken.
- While your hands are dirty, go ahead and stuff the chicken with 2-3 halves of lemons, a few pieces of the onions, the two halves of garlic, and a sprig of each herb. I also place the chicken parts around the roasting pan with dirty hands.
- Combine all the remaining ingredients and place around the chicken and salt and pepper. If you have extra melted butter you can also pour that on.
- Place the roasting pan in the hot oven and roast for the required time per pound.
- For the additional 15 minutes, turn the oven up to 450 to get the skin nice and golden. Sometimes before I turn the oven up, I'll squeeze lemon juice on top.
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I am a home cook that does things my way. In my kitchen, I make breakfast, pack lunches, prepare snacks, and cook dinner. During the week, we eat real food that is homemade, organic, and local. On the weekends we do explore more of our local restaurants. I bake my own bread, juice fresh oranges every other day, and make my own kombucha and other weekly favorites.
