World-Famous Roast Chicken

Okay, so maybe it isn't "world famous," but everyone I know loves it. 

Ingredients:

*One 3-4 lbs. whole chicken, rinsed, patted dry and innards removed

*about 1/4 cup of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

*about 1/4 cup of olive oil

*chicken broth or water

*a couple tablespoons of butter

What to do: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Put the chicken in a large roasting pan (using a rack is optional; I usually use it though). Brush olive oil all over the outside and inside of the chicken. Then smear the salt and pepper mixture all over. Annnd into the oven for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (until the juice runs clear)!

About halfway through cooking, watch for chicken bits smoking in the bottom of the pan. Add some water or chicken broth (~1/2 a cup).

During the last 20 minutes of cooking, melt the butter and brush it onto the upper half of the chicken and baste a couple of times. This will give it a yummy, crispy skin.

 

My dad taught me how to roast a chicken all by myself when I was 12, and this recipe hasn't changed much.  I like it because the prep work is fairly quick, and I can just throw it in the oven and forget about it until the last half hour of cooking.  Some variations include stuffing the bird with garlic and fresh herbs.