I make a roast chicken every week, and it’s one of those dishes that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving. Just an example, I am roasting it to serve with some roasted potatoes and carrots from our farm box, where the legs and thighs will be snatched up. Then I’ll do supper number two with the reheated, sliced chicken breasts, to serve with a yummy cauliflower side dish that has capers and red chile. I’ll throw a slab of the citrus herb butter I’ve made on the warm chicken breast slices for hubby and me to make them moist and extra fancy. Bella will have hers plain. Then I’ll reserve the carcass, pick off any additional meat for Bella’s favorite chicken noodle soup, and make the roasted bones into stock, tbpl (to be posted later.)

This chicken is so easy, Bella can make it!

Super Simple Roasted Chicken

Serves a family of three about 3 times, you do the math for your family.

1 5 to 7 pound natural or organic whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

2 teaspoons garlic powder, about a tablespoon of kosher salt and a teaspoon of pepper, and an ample amount of olive oil to coat the skin of the chicken, you could also rub the skin of the chicken with minced fresh herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme

1 lemon, one-half of an onion, both cut into wedges, and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rub chicken all over with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, including the cavity. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, onion and herb sprigs. Place chicken in a roasting pan and leave out of refrigeration for 30 minutes, allowing the chicken to become closer to room temperature. Place chicken in the oven, and roast for one hour, until skin is browned and crisp, and the juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife at the thigh. Alternately, you could use a probe thermometer and bring to 165 degrees. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.