I love to make roast chicken! My family goes crazy over it. We rarely have leftovers. And, all natural whole chickens are often on sale at our grocery store for 49 to 69 cents per pound. This makes chicken a very affordable option for us. It is easy to make and largely hands off. And, it looks great on a platter when company comes!
Ingredients
1 Whole Chicken (or pieces, if that is a more affordable option)
Olive Oil (you can use butter too, but I avoid it like the plague)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Sage to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*F. If you are running short on time, go ahead and make it 375* or 400*. Place chicken in a roasting pan. I have 2 four quart casserole dishes that I love for making chickens. Now, if you are brave, you reach inside the chicken and take out the lovely things they leave in there. I, however, am rather squeamish and really have to work myself up to this. It is just fine to leave them in and cook them, but it will increase cooking time.
Brush oil over chicken. The ONLY reason to brush the oil on is to make the skin crispy. Since this is SO important to me and my children, we always do this step. If you don't eat the skin anyway, this step can be totally omitted.
Sprinkle seasonings over chicken. You don't want too much of anything in any one spot. My kids love to help with this part, but you really have to watch because if you get a pocket then the bite of skin that is full of garlic powder is going to be hot!
Cover and bake for 1 to 1.5 hours - just until it reaches 165*F when tested in the thigh.
I prefer to make 2 chickens at once and use the second one for lunches for many days afterwards, or to freeze for use in other recipes (like chicken enchiladas, chicken soup, chicken casserole, you get the idea). I also prefer to make roasted or baked veggies and sides so that I can pop all of dinner in the oven and not do much more to it! Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, roasted broccoli or cauliflower are all good options - most of which can be popped into the roaster with the chicken for extra flavoring.
And remember, this is a very basic roast chicken recipe. The seasonings can be changed, and foods can be inserted in the chicken or in the pan with the chicken to change the flavor. That is all up to you and what you like!
How do you like your chicken?Labels: Mindful Eating