I rarely buy chicken parts on the grocery store anymore. I’ve found a local farm that sells me whole frozen chickens that are truly organic and non gmo fed. They are pricey, about $6 a pound. A 5lb chicken gets eaten pretty quickly in my home and it’s $30 but I process the whole thing and get my beloved chicken broth from it, which is worth $30 on its own because it is so nutrient dense. It is the best medicine that I’ve found.
I start by removing all of the innards of the bird. Usually these are already taken out by this farm stand because they sell these parts separately. These chickens have the neck still attached. I leave it alone. My husband likes to eat the neck. To prep the bird I like to rinse it a little on the inside and outside. Make sure to clean the cavity really well.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a bowl mix 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tsp course ground Celtic Sea Salt
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
I take one whole lemon and punch a few holes in it with a fork. I put this inside the cavity.
2 sprigs of rosemary. Pull the leaves from the stem and put in the mixture. Take the remaining stems and put them in the cavity with the lemon.
Optional herbs are parsley and thyme (remember parsley should not be consumed when breastfeeding)
5 cloves garlic pressed or crushed and diced. Add to the mixture.
Take a medium basting brush and mix the ingredients in the bowl. Brush the bird all over top and bottom. You can tie the legs together but I usually don’t. Make sure to brush inside of the legs and wings. Cover all parts of the bird with this mixture. If you have any leftover you can pour into the cavity.
Peel some large carrots, chop into medium chunks and lay in the bottom of your pan. You can also chop an onion into large chunks and place this in the bottom of the pan. You can use a square baking pan, a cast iron skillet or any pan with edges high enough to keep the juices from overflowing.
Place the bird on top of carrots and onions and place in the center of the oven.
Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Baste the chicken again with any drippings and put back into the oven at a different angle to cook a little more evenly. Drop the heat down to 350. My oven cooks fast and the chicken is ready in under an hour. Some ovens may need to cook for up to two hours. I have to check the temperature again after another 20 to 25 minutes. When the chicken holds the temperature of 165 degrees for atleast 10 seconds in the fattest part it is ready. Remove from oven and let sit for atleast 10 minutes before carving. The carrots will be nice and juicy but not mushy.
From here I like to make one meal from this roasted chicken. If there is any chicken left over I like to make my avocado chicken salad. I then take the remaining carcass and make my beloved chicken stock.
