Gastronomous

 A Whole bird, be it a chicken or a turkey,  is a proud and homey dish; a meal to sit down for a great dinner with family and friends.  Roasted chicken is so simple, yet so complex . I’ve tried dozens of methods, variations , tricks, and techniques. They all were good, but could get better.

My quest for the perfect roasted chicken started many years ago unknowingly and quite by accident 
My first experience roasting a chicken for dinner was at the tender age of 6. It was my first time cooking real dinner. The instructions were easy: salt the chicken and put lemon on the chicken. Being a child, one not always pays attention to adults, I understood: put the lemon in the chicken. So I did. My Grandma watched and smiled as I stuffed the chicken with the whole lemon, and into the oven it went!

An hour and some odd minutes later, out came a golden roast with a lovely lemon soup aroma.  I was so proud! The rest of family found out the fate of the lemon only after carving the bird. The chicken was delicios and tender and we all had a laugh , by the end of the meal, only some bones and the lemon seeds remained.

Since then, my roasting techique changed a bit and it will continue changing.  I omit the lemon inside (for starters) and add a bit more zing. However, I still serve the chicken with fresh cut lemon or lime wedges and smile while serving it every time

Ingredients:

1 5-7 lb air chilled fryer 

1 TBSP olive oil

1 mix dry rub

For the Dry rub:

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp dehydrated onion

2 tsp dehydrated garlic

1/8 teaspoon each: ground coriander, black pepper, celery seed, ginger and red pepper

1 tsp each of dried oregano, thyme, and basil

1 tsp of paprika

Preheat oven to 375 F. Take chicken out of plastic, remove giblets and neck ( if any)  and dry off any excess water.

Rub with olive oil , then pat on the dry rub on all surfaces and place breast side up in a 3 inch deep roasting pan. 

Let cook in the oven for 1 hour or till a meat thermometer placed in the thigh reads 180F. Let rest for 10 minutes then serve with lemon or lime  wedges.

If Desired, add  quartered potatoes, carrots, sliced onions and celery half way through the cooking, remember to season with salt and pepper before placing in the oven. The combined flavors are simply wonderful! Enjoy