Marilyn Dishes

I  just think that sometimes a simple  whole roasted chicken is one of the most delicious and perfect foods.

The smell of the roasting chicken fills the house up and whenever I make this, my family walks in and always comments “that smells delicious’

You can always adjust this to your liking. I have added onions, carrots, parsnips & sweet potato to the roasting pan. You can use the vegetables that you like. Many times I add whir potatoes instead of sweet potato & eliminate the parsnips. This is also delicious without any vegetables!

The trick to a delicious roast chicken is to Baste, Baste, Baste with the pan juices! If you don’t baste the chicken often then the skin is dry. IF you do not have a basting tool, use a large spoon.. just gather up some of the pan juices & pot on all over the chicken and over the veg as well!

 Roast Chicken

Ingredients

 1 3 lb whole chicken, defrosted if it was frozen!

1 1/2 tbsp  Seasoned Salt

1 tbsp paprika (approximately) 2 tbsp olive oil *

1 whole onion, sliced

3 carrots cut into 2 inch chunks, if thick cut them lengthwise as well

3 parsnips cut into 2 inch chunks, cut the thick end in half lengthwise

1 sweet potato

 *** the amount of carrots, parsnips and potatoes depends on how many people you are serving.  If you don’t like sweet potatoes leave them out or add white potatoes

olive oil

Method

 1  Put the chicken into a roasting pan, the size of the pan depends on how many vegetables you are adding to the roaster pan. like my vegetables close to the chicken, not too spread out so I use a pan that allows that

2  Sprinkle the seasoned salt all over the chicken

3  Sprinkle  the paprika on the chicken

3. Drizzle the  olive oil over the chicken then rub it all over…The oil mixes with the spices beautifully and I make sure I rub it everywhere, lifting the chicken so I get the thighs as well .

4. Put the cut up onions, carrots, parsnips and potatoes around the chicken . I put a bit of paprika and olive oil on the vegetables

 5. Roast at 375F until chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables and potatoes are soft.  Baste often and if your pan gets too dry after an hour or so, add some water. ( no more than 1 cup) The chicken releases liquid while it roasts so wait that hour before deciding whether to put some water in or not. If your chicken has a lot of fat there will be more liquid in your roaster pan but if the chicken is very lean there might not be and then you should add water so you have a bit of drippings for you to baste the chicken with

I like to pour some of the drippings on the chicken at serving time and the vegetables as well.

Enjoy!