From The DIVA’s Kitchen: Simple Roast Chicken

 

Chicken is a staple in most homes, it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to fix. This roasted version is flavorful, requires only a few ingredients and leftovers will make for great lunchtime sandwiches!!

What You’ll Need:

1 whole roasting chicken (approx 4- 5 lbs.)

2 large sweet onions (peeled and quartered)

3 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil (to massage into the chicken’s skin)

2 cup of lemon juice (to wash the chicken’s skin and inner cavity)*

In a small bowl mix the paprika, onion & garlic powders, cayenne & black peppers, thyme and salt together, ensuring that all spices are thoroughly combined.

Remove chicken from it’s packaging, discarding giblets and rinse entire chicken (including inner cavity) with cold water. Sprinkle additional salt liberally over chicken, then pour the lemon juice over the bird, making sure to get some inside. Massage the meat, then rinse thoroughly, making sure to pick out any feathers as well as pulling additional "innard strands" from inside the chicken.

*Note: The lemon juice is an excellent way to remove that "slippery" residue from the bird allows oils and seasonings to better adhere to the meat.

 

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzling the oil over the skin, gently massage it in, making sure to cover the entire bird and cavity. Using your fingers, rub the spice mixture into and under the skin, paying special attention to the wing and leg joints as well as inside.

 

 

 

Once the chicken has been covered with the spices, insert the onion quarters into both of it’s     cavities, then place it in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

*Tip: Place the bag in a shallow pan to ensure against any spillage or leakage.

The next day - preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Remove the chicken from it’s bag and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 1 ½ hours so that the internal temperature of the bird (when a thermometer is placed in the thigh) registers at 180 degrees and baste the skin periodically during cooking.

When the chicken is done, remove the pan from the oven and cover it loosely with foil to rest for about 15 minutes before carving to ensure a juicy bird. Serve with sides of hot yellow rice and tender broccoli rabe.