Roast Chicken Recipe - How to Cook a Whole Chicken

A roast chicken recipe is easy to prepare and makes a tasty one-pot meal when cooked up with your favorite root vegetables. I like to butter up a whole chicken and roast it at a higher heat for tender juicy chicken with a golden skin. For more tips on how to cook a whole chicken in the oven, check out the complete recipe below.
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Roasted Chicken Recipe -- A complete one-pot chicken dinner in the oven

WHOLE CHICKEN (about 5 lb)
2-3 Tbsp BUTTER (melted)
OLIVE OIL
2-3 bulbs GARLIC
2 PARSNIPS
3 CARROTS
1-2 ONIONS
1 lb POTATOES
some HOT PEPPERS (optional)
1 big LEMON
Fresh HERBS like ROSEMARY, SAGE, and THYME, or use a dried Italian herb mix
1-2 Tbsp PAPRIKA
1-2 Tbsp GARLIC POWDER
SALT and PEPPER (to taste)
...but really, use whatever seasonings you like
(just make sure you use lots of them)


How To Roast a Whole Chicken

Buy a 5 pound chicken, or larger...might as well make it worth your while!
Remember to wash your hands frequently and clean your kitchen prep areas thoroughly before and after handling raw chicken.
Before cooking the chicken, remove it from the fridge for about an hour, this will help the chicken cook more evenly.
Wash the bird and then pat in dry with paper towels.
Place the bird in a cooking pan and coat it with butter. I like to use melted butter, cause it's easier, the butter will add great flavor and color;
also, be sure to use a pan that's large enough to accommodate the chicken and all the root veggies.
Season the bird well, inside and out, with salt and pepper; be generous with the seasonings!
For this recipe, I also coat the chicken with garlic powder and paprika, but use whatever seasonings you desire.
Placing fresh produce in the chicken cavity will add flavor and moisture as the bird roasts.
I'm using onion, garlic cloves, and lemon to stuff the chicken, but add fresh herbs well if you have them on hand; rosemary, thyme, and sage are
flavorful choices.
Using plain cotton twine, tie the legs together to close up the cavity; this will keep the stuffing inside and also prevent the legs from sticking out
and becoming overcooked during the roast.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Chop up your root vegetables and potatoes and place in the pan. Chop the veggies into larger sizes since they will be roasting for a long time.
Season the veggies as desired and then coat the veggies generously with olive oil. Using your hands, mix the seasonings, olive oil, and veggies
together until they are well coated.
Spread the vegetables evenly along the bottom of the pan and then place the chicken on top in the center, with the breasts and legs up. Bring
the wings against the chicken and tuck them under the body, this will keep them close and ensure even cooking.
Bake in an oven pre-heated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 90 minutes, a bit more of less depending on the size of the chicken and the amount of veggies. If desired, roast with a thermometer inserted to check for doneness. Insert a thermometer into the meat between the leg and thigh (avoiding the bone) and cook until a temperature of 165-170
degrees F. If not using a thermometer, you can check for doneness by cutting between the thigh and leg; the juices should run clear of blood and the chicken should not be pink.
After 90 minutes at 425 F, remove the chicken from the oven.
Move the chicken off of the veggies and onto a separate plate; do not cut the chicken except to check for doneness. Allowing the chicken to rest 10-15 minutes before carving
will ensure that the juices inside the chicken are not lost.
carefully remove the twine from the chicken legs and remove the stuffing from the cavity. Mix the stuffing into the pan of roasted veggies.
And that's how to cook a whole chicken in the oven...or at least one way!
Give this roast chicken recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon apptit!