There are certain meals that I tend to make seasonally and then there are those that are year-round staples. Roasted chicken definitely falls into my year-round bucket. I know what you’re thinking, “Can’t I just swing by Costco, pay my $5, and have it hot and ready as soon as I get home?” Yes, you certainly can. That used to be me too! No disrespect to Costco, but once you do it for yourself and see what I’m talking about, you’ll understand.
The most important thing I can tell you is the quality of your chicken does matter. It matters a lot. The better quality birds are always juicer and just taste better. For instance, I’ve never had a bad chicken from Whole Foods. Here in Illinois they come from Pine Manor Farms. Or, if you have time to plan ahead, everything at US Wellness Meats is simply outstanding.
Lately, I’ve been into roasting some sweet potatoes, and carrots and parsnips to go along with it. Just don’t put them in too early! If you happen to have any leftover chicken, be sure to remove it from the carcass and save it in a separate container. There should also be some remaining juices in your cast iron pan – pour all those juices on top of your saved chicken. When you heat this up again, it’s arguably better than the first time!
Ingredients
- 1 whole 4-5 pound organic free-range chicken
- 4-5 sprigs fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.)
- Handful fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 small lemon, cut into wedges
- 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken in a cast-iron or other suitable roasting pan.
- Take enough herbs to mince roughly 1 tablespoon and set aside.
- In sections, starting with the bottom of the chicken, brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, and 1/4 of the freshly minced herbs. Repeat this process for the remaining three sides of the chicken.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with lemon wedges, garlic, parsley, and remaining sprigs of fresh herbs. I stuff in as much herbs and parsley that will fit. Pull the skin to cover the opening.
- Place the chicken breast side up in the cast iron pan.
- Cook for 1 hour. Let rest 10-15 minutes before carving.