Perfectly Roasted Whole Chicken

I make a whole roasted chicken at least once every two to three weeks. I love having it on hand not only for a delicious dinner but also for lunches. I make chicken salads, and sandwiches, throw them into pasta, or add it to a tortilla shell for a chicken wrap. It is so versatile and freezes well so you can have it at any time. Let me share with you how I make my whole roasted chicken.

Here we go.

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole chicken – thawed ( any innards removed if any- you can save those from a homemade broth)
2 tbsp coconut oil – melted and cooled
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper – to taste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 lemon – quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425*.
2. Pat the chicken dry and add the lemon to the inside of the chicken.
3. Rub the oil over the outside of the chicken making sure to get into all the crevices.
4. Mix the seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle over the entire chicken evenly.
5. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. This is the thigh making sure not to hit a bone. Set the timer for the thermometer to 180*.
6. Place the chicken in a large baking dish. I use cast iron with a lid. If you do not have a cast iron dutch oven then you can use a baking rack and just cover the chicken loosely with foil.
7. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. typically 1 1/2 hours. The time will go off when the chicken reaches 180*. If you do not have an oven-safe thermometer then you can cut into the chicken right at the thigh and if the meat is cooked through and is no longer pink, you are good to go.
8. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the thermometer and let the chicken stand for about 10 minutes. DO NOT CUT INTO THE CHICKEN AT THIS TIME.
9. After the chicken has rested you can slice and serve.

• The smaller the whole chicken the less time it takes to cook. The bigger the whole chicken the longer it takes to cook.
• I recommend getting an oven-safe thermometer. It just makes things so much easier and you are not stressing about the chicken being undercooked.
• When inserting the thermometer, make sure that you go into the thigh. Make sure you are not on a bone or touching a bone with the thermometer. This will give a false reading and typically make you either undercook or overcook the chicken.
• I usually take the lid off (or remove the foil) during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time so the skin gets nice and crisp and golden brown.
• Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. This helps the chicken stay nice and juicy and not dry and crunchy. lol.
• Serve this how your family will enjoy it. I typically serve this with brown gravy, rice, and a steamed or roasted veggie. Sometimes mashed potatoes.