Roast Chicken Dinner

Everyone needs to know how to make a good  Roast Chicken and there are a million ways to cook one.

This is just one way! I like to start with the best quality chicken you can find. A  natural or Organic chicken is best and if you can get it fresh (not frozen) even better. I like to cook it in a very hot oven with lots of salt and pepper on the skin and a few flavourings inside. Toss in some vegetables and there you go!

Awesome Chicken Dinner!

You will need:

• a nice little chicken
• olive oil or butter
• course salt and fresh ground pepper
• granulated garlic ( not garlic salt )
• 1/2 lemon
• fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 tbsp Zaatar or Italian Seasoning
• 1 head of garlic
• 2-3 carrots
• 1-2 potatoes
• cauliflower 

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. That's a hot oven!

Step 1: wash chicken inside and out with cold water. Dry with paper towels and leave in fridge uncovered for a few hours to let skin dry out. This helps to make a crispy skin. Put salt and pepper on inside and fill with 1/2 lemon, some garlic cloves and thyme sprigs.

Step 2: rub butter or olive oil on skin. Sprinkle with lots of salt and pepper. 

Step 3: roast for 15 minutes.

Step 4: peel and cut your favorite vegetables, add remaining cloves of unpeeled garlic.Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of Zaatar or Italian Seasoning.

Step 5: add vegetables to the pan with the chicken you have cooked for 15 minutes.

Step 6: Turn down heat to 425 degrees F and continue to cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. I test the chicken's doneness by poking in a knife at the joint where the leg is attached and juices should run clear or I stick a wooden spoon in the cavity and tilt to to see if the juices run clear. The top should be nicely browned.

Step 7: Put chicken on a cutting board and cover with foil letting it rest for 15-20 minutes.

Step 8: remove vegetables and if the potatoes are not crispy enough for you - you can always put them in a saute pan and continue to fry for a few minutes to get crunchy.

Step 9: strain juices and pour off fat that will sit on the top. I use this as a simple jus or thin gravy. 

Dig in!