This oven roasted chicken came out mouthwateringly delicious and moist. So excited about the final product, I didn’t even take a picture! It is a lengthy process and requires a lot of love, so beware!!
Ingredients:
1 4-pound Organic Chicken
1 Orange
1 Lemon, halved
2 Onions
4 Garlic Cloves, Chopped
One handful of Chopped Thyme
Salt and Pepper
One stick of butter
1/8 cup red wine
2 bunches multi-colored carrots, chopped
1/8 cup red wine
2 bunches multi-colored carrots, chopped
Directions:
Step 1: Prep the Bird
Remove chicken from packaging and rinse well with cold water. Cut away any extra pieces of skin.
Pat dry with paper towels (drying chicken helps ensure a nice, crispy crust).
Season the entire bird, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
Set chicken aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Butter
Meanwhile, take out butter and let it come to room temperature. When softened, mix in salt, pepper, juice of an orange, chopped thyme, and 4 cloves of chopped garlic.
Take butter mixture and spread it under the skin of the bird. If you are unable to get it under the skin in some areas, spread it on top of the skin! Apparently separating the skin from the chicken helps to ensure a crisp crust and can make the chicken juicier at the same time.
Step 3: Stuff the Bird
Take your lemon halves, onions, remaining garlic cloves, and rosemary and stuff it into the cavity of the bird. Once the bird is full, tie the legs together (truss it).
Take baking pan and line it with sliced onions. Pour a splash of red (or white) wine into the pan. Place the bird on top of the onions. Sprinkle chopped carrots around the bird.
Let sit in fridge for as long as desired (I left mind in the fridge, covered, for 6 hours). About an hour before cooking, remove bird from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.Preheat oven to 450 and cook bird (4.5 pound) bird for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Don’t baste, as that creates steam which could make the skin less crispy.
Chicken is done when an instant read thermometer says 160-165 (when inserted into the largest portion of the thigh).
Let sit at least 15 minutes before carving.
*Sorry there is no photo of the final bird. I promise, it was amazing!!!
Sounds divine. Thanks for sharing!