Roasting a whole chicken is easy and pays off economically. Not only do you get a great dinner but the leftovers are so good. I usually make a pot pie and chicken salad from the leftovers. This recipe I adapted from the Big Sky chef on the Magnolis Network is the best roast chicken I have ever made.
Ingredients
For the chicken
4 lb whole chicken
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon salt
Mix and rub the outside and inside of the chicken
Refrigerator overnight uncovered
When ready to cook:
Quarter 1 1/2-2 lbs Yukon Gold medium potatoes
3 large carrots, cut into one piece
Place the potatoes and carrots in a large baking dish and add
2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
Mix with potatoes and carrots
Arrange potatoes and carrots around the sides of the baking dish.
Cut a lemon in half and place inside the chicken with extra thyme
Tie legs together
Drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil over chicken
Bake at 425 F for 1 hour
Rest the chicken for 20 min before cutting.
Make a chicken gravy to serve with the sliced chicken from the drippings in the pan or make an Easy Chicken Gravy using a store-bought gravy mix.