Basic Roast Chicken

*Updated 7/25/14

This chicken recipe is one of the first recipes I posted to this blog in January 2010!  I started this blog for our patients because everyone would want recipes and ideas after we did a nutrition workshop in our office.  I really enjoy cooking and sharing food so I really hope this blog has helped many of you find good recipes.

I’m not a great photographer by any means but I’m trying to work on that too with my handy iphone.  Speaking of…so I signed up to do a food photography class at Crystal Bridges last week, thinking I could learn a few tips.  Hubs and I decided to make a date of it since we were venturing out of Fayetteville (this doesn’t happen very often).  I even got dressed up (that never happens either…I’m talking HEELS, painted nails AND a DRESS).  We ate at this nice place called The Hive.  It’s inside this swanky art museum hotel, normally I’m not into that stuff, but I did have a DRESS and HEELS on so it was all good.  I ordered veal marrow bones and chicken liver pate.  The waiter cocked his head to the side, got silent for a minute, and then said “I like you.”   I’m not that kinda girl who orders light…”Oh, I’ll just have a small salad.”   No, no, no.  I do have a love affair with food after all.   Especially things I don’t get to eat too often.  And it was good, real good.

The photography class wasn’t so great, apparently to do a photography class you need to know how to use a real camera.  We walked into a class full of people with extra big cameras and those lenses that stick out 3 feet in front of you.  I supposed I need to start with a more basic “how to operate a real camera…not your iphone” class first.

Here is the updated chicken recipe below.  By the way, I cannot ever make a whole chicken again with thinking of that 50 shades of chicken book, have you seen that???  OMG.

Basic Roast Chicken

1 4-5 lb free range roasting chicken

2 Tbsp. raw or organic butter, softened

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 med garlic clove, minced

¾ tsp sea salt

4-5 grinds freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp thyme leaves

1 C chicken broth

*Updated 7/25/14-

I recently started to brine my chicken in salt water for 24 hours before preparing it as noted below.  It changed everything!! The brine makes the chicken so moist and flavorful.  It is so delicious and I promise it’s worth the wait!

The day or evening prior to preparing your chicken place the entire bird into a large bowl and cover with water.  Add 1/3 C Himalayan sea salt and leave in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.  The next day remove the chicken from the salt brine and pat dry. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Rub this paste over outside of chicken. Place bird breast side down in roasting pan, and add chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.  Roast, uncovered, basting frequently for approximately 1-1/2 hours (about 20 minutes per pound). Place chicken breast side up during last ½ hour to brown.Remove from oven when leg pulls easily and juices no longer run red. Remove from pan and let rest, uncovered for 5-10 minutes.