This recipe is a weekly staple in our home. You can vary the seasonings and vegetables easily. I like to save the giblets and leftover bones in the freezer to make stock for later use.
Ingredients
- 1 fresh chicken, 4 – 5 lbs
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 – 2 lbs root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips), chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/2 garlic bulb
- 1 citrus fruit (optional), quartered
Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack positioned in the center. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Combine all of the spices. Rinse and pat dry the chicken with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken legs down through the thigh so that the legs rest splayed out. By doing this, the dark meat will cook with the same timing as the breast. Spread the root vegetables, onion, and garlic in a large iron skillet (15 inches). Place the chicken on top of the vegetable bed. Brush the butter all over the chicken. Then, sprinkle the spice mixture on the chicken as evenly as possible. You can leave the chicken cavity open and empty, or add a chopped citrus fruit inside. Either way, the cavity does not need to be sealed and tied.
Place the chicken uncovered in the oven for one hour. You may loosely tent the chicken with foil if the skin starts to become too darkened (check after 30 minutes). If you use foil, be sure to remove it in the final 10 minutes of cooking to crisp up the skin. After one hour, check the chicken for doneness by tilting the skillet at an angle to see if the liquid that drips from the cavity is pink or clear. If the liquid is pink, cook the chicken for another 10 minutes then recheck for doneness. Once the liquid is clear, pull the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Alex Taghavian 