Call me crazy but I've never attempted to roast a whole chicken before. Believe me, I've been tempted when I've seen them for .99 cents a pound but for some reason it's always intimidated me. Some goes for a turkey. I am scared to death to roast a turkey. My biggest fear has been poisoning my family with salmonella, which by the way I've had and it ain't pretty. My second fear is that I will over cook the thing trying to make sure that is cooked all they way then having a dry bird that just deserves to go in the trash. After this attempt, and might I add a success, I feel much more confident in my bird cooking abilities. Yeah!!! I found a recipe in my Parents magazine for a simple roasted chicken. I liked that word simple so I took that as my base and added some spices to make it my own. Can I just tell you, this was the moistest most delicious chicken that I've had in a long time. Both my girls who aren't big fans of meat ate all of their dinner, nothing left on their plates. I served this with some mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli & cauliflower. With this master recipe under your belt, you'll have a host of healthy delicious dinners at the ready with the leftovers. If you haven't already, make roasting a whole bird party of your families recipe repertoire.

Simple Roasted Chicken
Adapted from Parents magazine

1 4 to 5 lb whole chicken
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
ground pepper

Heat oven to 400 F. Pat and dry chicken inside and out with paper towels. Remove anything that is inside the bird. Rub the olive oil over the skin of the chicken. Mix salt and thyme in a little bowl. Sprinkle all over the chicken generously. Sprinkle with the ground pepper. Place the chicken in a roasting pan (with or without rack) or another large heat-proof baking dish and put in the oven.


Let cook undisturbed for 30 minutes; check to make sure the breast isn't browning too fast; if it is, cover it loosely with foil. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until instant read thermometer registers 170 F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Don't let the thermometer touch the bone or you'll get an inaccurate reading.

Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. This will allow all the cooking juices to redistribute and not come sloshing out. Makes 4 servings plus leftovers.