This is one of the recipes that I was most surprised to not find on this blog when we were planning our 2016 Family Favorites Calendar. I should have fixed it earlier, but here it is now!
We use this dish for many of our birthday dinners and special occasions, sometimes cooking as many as 4 whole chickens at a time just because we love having leftovers:
You need a little bit of time to get this going, but it’s definitely very little time actually spent working with it – just the turning points to make sure it browns evenly.
We often cook it ahead of time and carve it, then rewarm it in the oven with some of the broth poured over it. Extra broth and pan browned bits makes for a really excellent gravy as well, if you feel like doing that step.
The leftover bones and other bits from these birds also can make some of the most delicious broth for chicken soup I’ve ever had. Aromatic and rich and sooo delicious!
Roasted Rosemary Chicken
- 1 whole chicken (3-4 lb.)
- 6 large sprigs rosemary
- 4 whole cloves garlic
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Oven Temperature: 425°F
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
- Preheat the oven. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, then place 4 rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves inside.
- Rub the outside of the chicken with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then place on its side in a wide roasting pan. Tuck the remaining rosemary sprigs under the legs and wings and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cover chicken loosely with foil and place in the middle rack of the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and turn chicken onto the other side, baste with pan juices and cover with foil again. Return it to the oven for another 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and set with the breast up for the last 15 minutes, basting again. Cook until juices between the body and thigh run clear when pierced with a knife (or use a meat thermometer).
- Transfer cooked chicken to a serving dish and set aside for at least 10 minutes before carving. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan to loosen the drippings – use to make a gravy or pour over the sliced chicken before serving
Tip: Want a stronger garlic flavor? Use a sharp knife to cut slits in the breast and add slivers of extra garlic in those slits.
The Kitchen Tourist 