Some people crave burgers, fries and a beer. I crave whole roasted organic chickens, veggies and sparkling water with a splash of apple cider vinegar (I literally kid you not). Thankfully, my husband made my dreams come true in perfecting the art of an oven-roasted chicken (at least, I think so) and I want to share! It’s a bit of a time-consuming process but not overly hands on. You just need proper planning, then the rest is easy. Easier than you might think. You’ll probably commit this one to memory!

First, it’s imperative to make the brine and let the bird soak for 6-12 hours. So back up and start here if you need to.

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place an adjustable roasting rack on top. The foil makes for easier cleanup and can be omitted.

2. Pull the bird out of the brine and place onto the rack, breasts facing up.

3. Let the chicken get close to room temp before putting it in the oven—it bakes better when at room temp. The time it takes until for this will vary based on other variables so it’s best to eyeball it.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

When the bird is ready:

5. Put it in the oven (as is on the rack—breasts up).

6. Bake for 15’ @ 425 degrees—no matter the size of your bird (could be a 20lb turkey) this is a key strategy to ensure prospering browning and moisture retention.

7. With the bird still in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees after those first 15 minutes and reset the timer for 45 minutes (45’ @ 350).

8. In total, a 4-lb bird will take 60 minutes in the oven. But to be sure it’s ready, have your handy dandy digital oven thermometer on hand and you want the breast to register 165 degrees. This means it’s done!

9. Let it sit and cool for 5-15 minutes before carving.

10. Enjoy!

You’re not done! Next, make bone broth using the “leftovers” from your chicken using our recipe.