Best-Ever Roasted Chicken

The secret behind your perfectly roasted chicken really is only skin deep. You want to be sure that as your chicken's natural juices are being expelled, you're re-infusing the bird with moisture and flavor.  How do you accomplish that task? EASY!

It's always important to start with a proper bird- one that was fed a healthy diet and not pumped with unnecessary medicine and hormones. It's also very important to research where your poultry comes from. I always encourage supporting your small local farmers because their farming methods are more often than not sustainable and more hygienic. You don't want to risk picking up something from a chicken who was raised in an unsanitary, hostile environment. Living with the earth is so much better than living against it!

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 Prepping and Roasting the Bird

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To get started, be sure to clean your whole chicken, removing everything from the cavity and rinsing it thoroughly.  Then place the bird on a cutting board breast up.  If you're a big meat eater, you should invest in a bamboo cutting board, as it contains natural bacteria fighting properties and is far kinder to your knives.

In a small bowl, combine a 1 1/2 sticks of softened butter, a small drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and some spices and herbs of your choosing.  At the end, I've listed some of my favorite spice mixtures!

Now, it's gonna get a little messy so roll those sleeves up. You're going to want to slide your fingers gently under the skin above the breast, separating it from the meat.  Do take care to not tear the skin.  If you do tear it, don't freak out- I'll tell you how to correct it later.

Next, Slide a fork under the skin and begin piercing the breast meat.  You want each breast to be forked at least 6 times.  The more holes, the more points of access for your butter mixture, making a tastier bird.

After that, take all but 2 tbsp of your butter mixture and smooth it under the skin, using the palm of your hand to evenly distribute the butter. If you have torn the skin, just secure with a toothpick.

Rub the remaining 2 tbsp of butter on top of the skin and drizzle with olive oil.  The oil is key because it protects the butter from overcooking and buring.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. For an added blast of flavor, lay strips of bacon over the skin. The fat from the bacon will marinate and infuse your bird as it cooks.  This works best with rosemary, dill, and sage herb recipes.

Stuff the cavity with a halved white onion, a halved lemon, 2 bay leaves, and at least 5 sprigs of whatever dominate herb you used in your butter mixture. You can even throw in some halved chilies for an extra kick if you like it hot.  Whatever you want- be creative.  My rule of thumb for experimenting is to place all your ingredients in a bowl (herbs and spices included) and take a whiff.  If it smells good, chances are it will taste good.

Transfer your bird into a baking or roasting dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 1 hour. The juices should run clear and if you have access to a meat thermometer, the breast meat should be 180 degrees.

~Spiced Apple Herb Chicken Recipe~

IMPORTANT: Let stand for 10-15 minutes before carving or else you'll lose much of the juice.

If you're using the chicken for tacos, just peel pieces off the bird along the grain.

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Butter Mixtures

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Rosemary Sage:

1 tbsp chopped sage leaves

1 tbsp chopped (1 tsp dried) rosemary

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp ground cloves

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 tsp lemon zest

Fiesta Lime: GREAT FOR TACOS!

1 tbsp cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp chili powder

a few dashes cayenne pepper

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp lime zest
*substitute halved lemon in the cavity for lime.  Great with halved chilies!

Spiced Apple:

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1 tbsp apple cider
I also add about 2 cups apple cider and some whole cloves to the bottom on the roasting pan.

* substitute halved lemon in the cavity for halved apple and add carrots, cinnamon sticks and some whole cloves

Rosemary Dill:

1 tbsp chopped dill

1 tbsp chopped (or 1 tsp dried) rosemary

1/2 tsp tarragon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp lemon zest