The cat's out of the bag! Roast chicken doesn't have to feel so unattainable! You too can roast a chicken! See below!
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, thawed if frozen
1 lemon
1 head of garlic
Bunch of fresh thyme, optional
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper
3 T. salted butter
Raw vegetables for roasting--like sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts, but whatever you have (carrots, white potatoes, mushrooms, squash, etc.)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Prep all your ingredients...
Melt the butter.
Quarter the lemon
Separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves; smash each one with the side of a large knife, and remove the skins.
Combine kosher salt with pepper in a small dish (maybe 3 T. of salt and 2-3 t. of pepper).
Rinse your chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Try to dry the cavity inside, too.
Place your chicken breast side up (and legs side up!) in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, roasting pan, or on a baking sheet with a cooling rack placed inside.
Rub salt and pepper inside the cavity. Then throw the lemon pieces, garlic cloves, and bunch of thyme into the cavity. I like to lift up the skin of the chicken and fit a few cloves of garlic in there too.
Pour 2 T. of the melted butter onto the chicken and spread it around with your fingers to evenly coat it with deliciousness.
Sprinkle evenly with lots of salt and pepper.
Tie the legs of the chicken together tightly with kitchen twine, dental floss, or whatever.
Flip the wings over and underneath the chicken so that it looks like it's ready to go tanning in your oven with its "hands" behind its "head."
Throw this pan into the middle of your oven at 425 degrees for 90 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil halfway through if it's looking dark on the skin.
Meanwhile, prep your veggies for roasting (wash, peel skins off if needed, etc.).
Spread them out evenly on a roasting pan.
Pour the remaining butter onto the veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Add veggies to your oven on a rack right below your chicken with 25 minutes to go.
After 90 minutes, remove chicken from the oven. Also, remove the veggies, give them a good toss, and put them back in the oven on the middle rack for another 10-20 minutes so they can get a little crispy .
The chicken is done if a knife yields clear juices when inserted between the breast and the thigh.
Cover with aluminum foil (if you didn't already do this during cooking) and allow the chicken to rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Carve and serve with veggies.
Recipe by sprinting spoon at https://www.sprintingspoon.com/roast-chicken/