How to cook a whole chicken

My favourite way to prepare our naturally raised, delicious pastured chickens is to roast them in the oven. I feel like it's the best way to take advantage of the amazing flavour, texture, and juiciness, and use up every part.

You don't need to be overwhelmed by roasting a whole chicken. It does take a couple of hours but the prep doesn't take very long and it's really not complicated. A whole roasted chicken makes an impressive meal for family get togethers, special occasions, or even just meal prep! When I have smaller chickens, I will often roast 2 at the same time; they fit perfectly in the turkey roasting pan and then we have chicken for the whole week!

Here's what you will need:

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon
• 4-6 cloves of galic
• Fresh or dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, etc.)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel - this will help it get more crispy
3. optional - brush olive oil or melted butter all over the chicken, coating it evenly. This will help it be more juicy and crispy.
4. Rub salt and pepper all over the outside and inside. Optional - cover the outside with herbs.
5. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice all over the outside and inside, leave the lemon halves inside the cavity, and stuff garlic and fresh herbs into the cavity. I will usually include the stems and everything for extra flavour.
6. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings in or tie them to the side. This will prevent those parts from getting overcooked.
7. Put the chicken in a roasting pan breast side up and roast uncovered for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350°F (175°C) for another 45 mins to 2 hours, depending on the size.
8. If you have a thermometer, check the internal temperature in a few different spots. It should be at least 165°F (74°C)
9. When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. This will allow juices to redistribute, making it juicier and deliciouser.
10. Cut it up into pieces and serve! Since Our chickens are so big, I will usually cut the breast into 2 or 3 pieces, and will sometimes cut the thighs and drumsticks off the bones and cut up into smaller pieces. You could also just cut the chicken right into quarters or eighths.

Tips:

• I will usually take a frozen bird out of the freezer and put it the fridge 2-3 days before I plan to cook it, then check it in the morning. If it is mostly thawed, I will leave it in cold water for 1-2 hours to finish thawing. If it is totally or mostly frozen still, it will take about 4-5 hours in cold water to thaw.
• If the chicken is fully thawed and in the fridge, I find that I have best results if I leave the chicken on the counter for an hour to come up to room temperature before putting it in the oven.
• If you want the skin to be extra crispy, you can brush the chicken with melted butter in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
• Leftover chicken is great for salads, sandwiches, soups, or meal prep.
• Save all the bones, fat, carcass, and extra herbs  - they make an amazing bone broth.

See, it's not so hard and totally worth it!

With just a few ingredients and a few minutes of prep time you can have a delicious meal that will impress your guests and fill them up! Even the pickiest eaters won't be able to resist going back for seconds or thirds.

If you haven't ordered your chickens yet for this year, get them here

Do you have any other tips and tricks for cooking a whole chicken? Share them in the comments!