This week at Publix you can pick up a whole chicken for just $1.49 per pound. Many people shy away from getting a whole chicken thinking it requires too much effort. I actually try to keep a couple of whole birds in my freezer at all times. You can do so much with a chicken and usually it doesn’t require too much effort.
I have two favorite roast chicken recipes. Earlier this week I shared my Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken recipe and today I am sharing my favorite way to do Roast Chicken.
I could eat this chicken several times per week and never get tired of it. It’s also a great presentation so it’s perfect meal for company as well. I always kid my husband that when the boys are teenagers, I will have to cook three chickens just for one meal. It’s that good!
You can use any veggie that you like but I highly suggest sweet potatoes and acorn squash – the combination is so good!
This meal is part of the Publix Menu Plan For the Week Of 5/15 – 5/21 (5/14 to 5/20 for some). Here are the other recipes I have shared this week:
- 1 whole chicken (approx 4 – 5 lb bird)
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- large bunch of fresh thyme, divided
- salt & pepper
- 1 acorn squash, cut into large chunks
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks
- 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Remove giblets and neck from the chicken and wash the bird – inside and out.
- Pat to dry the bird and sprinkle a liberal amount of salt and pepper inside the bird’s cavity.
- Stuff the cavity with the two halves of lemon, both halves of garlic, and a large bunch of fresh thyme.
- Place the bird in a roasting pan.
- Tie the legs and tuck the wings under the bird.
- Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- Place in 425º F oven for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle cut veggies with salt and pepper and add about 15 – 20 springs of thyme.
- Once the bird has cooked for 30 minutes, add the vegetable mixture around the bird and return to the oven and cook for an additional hour.
- Check to make sure the chicken is done and juices run clear.
- Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil.
- Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted vegetables.
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I have a question! When you roast this in a roasting pan, does it have a rack? I don’t have a roasting pan…have you actually cooked one in a regular baking type pan and had it come out really good? If so, should I line the pan with something or grease it? I know, I know, ridiculous questions, but I’ve just never done a chicken! Or even a turkey! I don’t even know if I can remove the neck!!! LOL, Thanks for any help for this scared chicken cooker!
Not a ridiculous question at all!!
You can really bake it in any large pan that you have. A roasting pan just has the taller sides to hold in all the “stuff”. You don’t need to line or grease you pan as that chicken will release a ton of juice and fat from the skin…that’s what makes those veggies so darn good. The little bit of skin from the back of the turkey may stick a bit but there’s no meat under it so it’s no big loss.
To remove the neck/giblets…if they are there, they will be tucked inside the cavity of the bird. It’s a bit disgusting but you’ll have to reach in the bird and feel around to see if there is anything tucked inside. Often in the smaller birds they don’t put them in. Be sure to check the top and the bottom of the bird as sometimes they tuck stuff in the neck cavity too 🙂
If you have never given it a try—you should. Roasting a chicken is so easy–this recipe and my cream cheese stuffed chicken are my family’s favorites. My boys prefer the cream cheese but I love the veggies in this one!!
I have a question! When you roast this in a roasting pan, does it have a rack? I don’t have a roasting pan…have you actually cooked one in a regular baking type pan and had it come out really good? If so, should I line the pan with something or grease it? I know, I know, ridiculous questions, but I’ve just never done a chicken! Or even a turkey! I don’t even know if I can remove the neck!!! LOL, Thanks for any help for this scared chicken cooker!
Not a ridiculous question at all!!
You can really bake it in any large pan that you have. A roasting pan just has the taller sides to hold in all the “stuff”. You don’t need to line or grease you pan as that chicken will release a ton of juice and fat from the skin…that’s what makes those veggies so darn good. The little bit of skin from the back of the turkey may stick a bit but there’s no meat under it so it’s no big loss.
To remove the neck/giblets…if they are there, they will be tucked inside the cavity of the bird. It’s a bit disgusting but you’ll have to reach in the bird and feel around to see if there is anything tucked inside. Often in the smaller birds they don’t put them in. Be sure to check the top and the bottom of the bird as sometimes they tuck stuff in the neck cavity too 🙂
If you have never given it a try—you should. Roasting a chicken is so easy–this recipe and my cream cheese stuffed chicken are my family’s favorites. My boys prefer the cream cheese but I love the veggies in this one!!
Sounds so good Michelle! Will have it for dinner, tomorrow.
Sounds so good Michelle! Will have it for dinner, tomorrow.
Thanks Michelle! This is why I was asking, it sounded pretty simple, and it looks SOOOOO good! Especially with those yummy root veggies! I appreciate your feedback! 🙂
Thanks Michelle! This is why I was asking, it sounded pretty simple, and it looks SOOOOO good! Especially with those yummy root veggies! I appreciate your feedback! 🙂
Yummy thanks!!!
Yummy thanks!!!
I started making chicken this way back in 2005 (used Ina’s recipe) and it is fantastic. After making it dozens of times I have this down to a science. I add some finely minced garlic while melting the butter. Also, I use a 9×12″ baking dish – it works great for a 4-5lb chicken on the bottom rack. I use onion, fennel, carrots, cubed sweet potato, and a few cubed small red potatoes (and even sometimes celery). I cook it at 400 ON CONVECTION (if your oven has that – USE IT -the chicken stays even MORE juicy!). Finally, please don’t wash your chicken! It spreads the yucky stuff all over. Just pat the inside and outside dry with paper towels. The yucky stuff will be killed off from the heat. Make sure you use a small enough pan or your veggies will burn. Finally, I use a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of thyme and rosemary. Adds a lot of deep flavors. So yummy (and wait till you smell it cooking!).
I started making chicken this way back in 2005 (used Ina’s recipe) and it is fantastic. After making it dozens of times I have this down to a science. I add some finely minced garlic while melting the butter. Also, I use a 9×12″ baking dish – it works great for a 4-5lb chicken on the bottom rack. I use onion, fennel, carrots, cubed sweet potato, and a few cubed small red potatoes (and even sometimes celery). I cook it at 400 ON CONVECTION (if your oven has that – USE IT -the chicken stays even MORE juicy!). Finally, please don’t wash your chicken! It spreads the yucky stuff all over. Just pat the inside and outside dry with paper towels. The yucky stuff will be killed off from the heat. Make sure you use a small enough pan or your veggies will burn. Finally, I use a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of thyme and rosemary. Adds a lot of deep flavors. So yummy (and wait till you smell it cooking!).
I like to put the whole chicken in a slow cooker with some salt, pepper, thyme.and garlic. Put in on low and when I get home from work the whole house smells wonderful. The meat literally falls off the bone. Afterwards I take all the bones and skin and put it back in the slow cooker with a bay leaf and some veggies and some water (there is always some yummy juices from the chicken) and let it all cook overnight in the slow cooker. I end up with the most beautiful, yummy chicken stock.
I like to put the whole chicken in a slow cooker with some salt, pepper, thyme.and garlic. Put in on low and when I get home from work the whole house smells wonderful. The meat literally falls off the bone. Afterwards I take all the bones and skin and put it back in the slow cooker with a bay leaf and some veggies and some water (there is always some yummy juices from the chicken) and let it all cook overnight in the slow cooker. I end up with the most beautiful, yummy chicken stock.