Juicy Roasted Chicken

[left-of-center2012]

‘Juicy Roasted Chicken’ by ROBINROCKINGBIRD

Ingredients
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder, or to taste
½ cup margarine, divided
1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2
Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken's exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.

Step 3
Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83557/juicy-roasted-chicken/

[Warpy]

1. I use butter and do one other step, which I posted years ago

but I'm sure nobody remembers. First, I use a quartered onion with the celery inside the chicken, they contribute moisture as well as flavor. I grease the chicken up with butter, then sprinkle on whatever seasonings I'm using. Then I wrap it up like a mummy in a layer of cheesecloth.

The cheesecloth tends to hold the butter and seasonings in place a little longer. When the chicken is done and the skin is brown and crisp, the cheesecloth comes off very easily, nothing is left on the bird or in the pan. No basting is needed.

The onion and celery are edible. The chicken rests while I do pan gravy for it.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. Personally, I would never use onion powder.

Real onion is better.

And yeah, actual butter, not margarine.

[Callalily]

3. I think roasted chicken will be on the Thanksgiving Day menu,

as there are only going to be two of us.

Leftovers easy to handle.

[japple]

4. I haven't been able to find a 3 lb. chicken in a long time. Most of them in my area grocery stores

are much larger--4.5 to 5.75 lbs. Since Georgia is such a huge chicken growing region, and they are growing meat chickens to enormous sizes these days, I guess that's why I can't find a scrawny little 3 lb. bird. Occasionally, when I can get to a city with a decent grocery, I can find Bell & Evans chickens which are smaller. Anyone else have this chicken issue?

ETA: I have been buying cornish hens for awhile. They cost quite a bit more, but they taste much better and the stock is a LOT better.

[left-of-center2012]

5. I just checked my local grocers' website

They are listing whole chickens between 5 and 9 lb for sale.

Oh well.

I'll have to find another recipe to accommodate something that big and plan for a lot of leftovers.

[japple]

6. I was in Publix in a nearby town today and they had Springer Mountain chickens.

I picked up 2 at about 3.4 lbs each. Got one in the oven right now. It's smelling mighty good.

I put the other one in the freezer to cook for Thanksgiving.

[MissMillie]

7. The only thing better than a roasted chicken

is 2 roasted chickens.

Cooking 2 at a time means you get to eat one for dinner, and then you get to use the other one for all those great leftover recipes (soup, chicken salad sandwiches, etc).

Absolutely one of my favorite things to cook--and eat.