Roasted Chicken

Have you ever roasted a whole chicken?  If you haven't, then you surely are missing out!  A whole Roasted Chicken is so delicious, inexpensive,  and best of all, EASY!  I usually roast a chicken 2 times a month, I like the leftovers for Chicken Pot Pie, or Chicken Noodle Soup.  I like to buy the Perdue Oven Stuffer, it has a lot meat, it's inexpensive, especially when it's on sale at Shoprite.

I like to use Ina Garden's recipe.  I love her show, Barefoot Contessa, and have many of her cookbooks.  I think she is a true cook, so easy going, and I usually have all the ingredients to her recipes in my pantry. And I love the way she entertains, no fuss, she really just wants to enjoy her guests, and I feel I do the same.  When Ina made her Roasted Chicken, she roasted it on a very high heat, 400 degrees, with NO LIQUID!  I have always roasted a whole chicken using at least 2 cups of liquid in the roasting pan, and of course on a low temperature like 350.  But I wanted to give Ina's recipe a try, because it looked so easy, and of course so DELICIOUS!!!  I made her Roasted Chicken, and it came out so tender, and the skin was so crispy.....everyone in my family loved it, and I will NEVER roast a chicken the "old way" again.  Try this recipe, you will LOVE IT! 

Roasted Chicken
1 whole Roaster Chicken about 6 lbs (Perdue is really good, and has the pop up timer!)
3 TBS Olive Oil
! TBS Salt
2 tsp Pepper
2 tsp. dried Rosemary or 1 sprig of fresh Rosemary

Rinse the whole chicken, and take out the special package....you know what I mean, then I usually throw it right in the garage, don't want to see the "heart, liver, and gizzard!!!  Go ahead an make your gravy using those, but I sure won't!!!! 

Pat dry the chicken, and put it in a roaster pan, Rub the Olive Oil all over the bird, and salt and pepper the inside, and the outside, generously, and sprinkle the Rosemary all over the bird.  Put it in a preheated 400 degree oven, and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the pop up timer pops up!  The skin will be so crispy you will want to eat it right away!

Chicken Gravy using pan drippings
Using the pan drippings, make a most delicious gravy, skim off some of the chicken fat, and bring the drippings to a boil.  In a jar with a lid, add 2 TBS flour and 1/2 cup cold water.  Shake really well and add slowly to the pan drippings and whisk, whisk, whisk, lower the heat and bring to a simmer, and cook until it's has thicken.  Now taste it, what does it need?  Add salt and pepper and 1 - 2 tsp chicken bouillon.  YUMMO!!