Classic Roast Chicken Recipe

Roasting a whole chicken is one of my favorite things to do on a winter weekend at home. Our house gets so toasty with the heat from the oven, and savory herbal scents perfume the air. Then once it's done and enjoyed, I can cook up the bones in my crockpot to make bone broth to freeze and use as soup bases all year long. I feel so thrifty using all the parts of the chicken and saving money not having to buy chicken broth!

Since I do this so often, I thought I had my "go-to" roasted chicken recipe posted on my blog. As I searched for it, I realized I'd never published it, so it's time to remedy that right now!

Here is my favorite way to roast a chicken. Stay tuned to my newsletter in upcoming weeks because I'll be sharing my recipe for bone broth next!

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN

1 whole chicken, giblets removed

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 large or 8 small cloves garlic

1 lemon, cut into 8 chunks

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1. Preheat the oven to 425F with the rack in the center.

2. For crispier skin, rinse the outside of the chicken and pat it dry with a towel.

3. Pour the olive oil into a small dish. Use a pastry brush to thoroughly coat the outside of the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Stuff the garlic cloves, lemon chunks, and rosemary into the chicken cavity and underneath the skin.

5. Bake for one hour. It may take a little longer if the chicken is larger (closer to 5 pounds than 3). Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken's internal temperature has reached 165F; if it's not there yet, return it to the oven for 10 minutes at a time and keep checking.

6. Once the chicken is done baking, let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.

There are many recipes that will tell you to turn the chicken over halfway through baking and to baste it to keep it moist. Honestly I skip these steps so I can go and do something else while the chicken is in the oven and not have to keep an eye on the clock! I don't think it turns out dry, so I didn't include those steps in my recipe. In my opinion, simpler is better!