Whole Roasted Chicken

Yesterday I decided that I was going to make a roasted chicken. IT WAS FANTASTIC!! My husband could not resist making mm mm mm sounds during dinner. It made me think to that part in that movie "What About Bob" when Bob is eating dinner with the family and he keeps moaning and groaning over how wonderful everything tastes and the rest of the family is giggling, yep that's about how my dinner was last night and it was great.
Roasting whole chickens isn't an art. It just takes the right temperatures and right times. Seriously. You could probably rub tar all over one and if it is cooked properly it won't matter (okay please don't actually rub tar on a chicken).
Roasting whole chickens is not only budget friendly but if cooked right can be much more flavorful and moist then chicken pieces.
I know I have said this a lot but man, THIS is my all time favorite comfort food. Give me a plate of roast chicken mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn and I am one happy girl.



This is a chart that I have started. It is my mom's cooking method which seems to work pretty well. Granted, every oven is different so keep an eye on it and learn to perfect your times for your oven. For example, these times are for our oven back in Utah. The chicken I did last night was 5 pounds and it took only 2 hours. So, as you can see every oven can vary just a bit. So I would always set your timer for at least 15 minutes less and then check it and see how close your times are.

You will roast all chickens at 325.

I only have a few weights so far but its not hard to figure out the times.

Weight             Time
3lb 4oz             1hr. 45min.
4lb.                  2hr.
5 lb.                 2 hr. 20 minutes
5 1/2 lb.           2hr. 45min.

To check to make sure that your chicken is done, I always cut the skin between the drumstick and the breast. If the juices that run out of it are clear then its done. This method has always worked for me, but if you are unsure then use a meat thermometer.
I have never used a meat thermometer in my life so I couldn't tell you how to use it.

**Randi's Side Notes**
~ I love using the pan drippings to make homemade gravy. I never had canned or a mix gravy ever growing up. The drippings mixed in with some floured milk, salt and pepper make for the best gravy. My mom makes some of the best gravy on the face of this earth! So thanks mom for teaching me the fine art of using those drippings!
~ You can flavor your chickens however you like, but I usually stick to the basics. Rub it in softened butter add salt, pepper, garlic salt, and onion salt. That's it.
~Anti-Inflammatory Diet friends, you could easily just rub this in olive oil and season however you like.