I made this the other night upon husband’s request. Now I’m wondering why I never make this often enough. I frequently make baked chicken using drumstick and leg quarters since that doesn’t really take much time and preparation. I guess we just got used to the fact that it’s so convenient to buy a store bought one from Sam’s club or Costco and the other chicken places around town.
To make get a whole broiler chicken, I got mine from Whole Foods since that is where I buy my poultry. Clean and pat this dry with paper towels. Preheat your oven to 425F.
Get a couple of potatoes about 4 medium sized ones, scrub clean and dry and cut into chunks. Peel and cut 2-3 carrots and 1 big onion. Arrange all your vegetables in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper and add a couple of sprigs of thyme on top or whatever herbs you like. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Take your chicken and stuff the cavity with half a lemon that is quartered and a couple of cloves of peeled garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter about 1/4 stick. Then generously season with salt and pepper. Lay your chicken on top of the vegetables. Remember to tuck in the wings under. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the juices run clear when you pierce the leg and thigh. Remove from oven and tent with foil. Let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
