I was at the store the other day and ran across whole Tyson chickens on sale for $0.59/lb! I was so excited that I bought two and now wish I had bought four.
Cooking a whole chicken was something I never thought I’d get the hang of. I used to buy a chicken once a year and would generally turn it into a pile of unappetizing meat which I would then try to push at my husband. I’m not sure when it happened, but fairly recently something clicked in my chicken making process and I have discovered the key to making a perfect broasted chicken. In reality, it is the simplest thing to do and I feel sly boasting. I guess this recipe is the easiest way to trick someone into thinking you can cook (at least that’s how I feel when I serve it and then rake in all the compliments like I’m a TV show chief).
- One 3 lb chicken (or more)
- 2 Tbl melted butter (the more the merrier)
- garlic (however much you prefer)
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp lemon pepper (or black pepper)
- dash of cumin
- dash of ground mustard
Rinse the chicken with cold water (remove baggie of gizzards and set aside for broth, or toss). Pat it dry with a paper towel and flop it onto a broiler pan (breast side up). Brush the entire bird with the butter. Brush brush brush! In a small bowl mix together the dry seasonings and then rub them into the bird. Put the bird into the oven, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1.5 hours (a good rule of thumb: add 15 minutes per add’l pound of bird). Remove chicken from oven and test with a meat thermometer (should read 180). Let it stand for 5-10 minutes before carving.
Ta da! Easiest thing ever. When you are done with dinner and have picked the bones clean save the bones for homemade chicken broth. I usually throw it into a Ziploc bag and put it into the freezer until I have at least 2 lbs of bones to make a decent size pot of broth.