Easy Roast Chicken

This year on our annual Pumpkin Carving Day, I decided to go all out and make a delicious harvest meal.  For just $20, I made made a meal for 6 (with lots of leftovers) of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and roasted butternut squash. 

Here's how to make a perfect roast chicken:
I used a 7 pound one from Hannaford and went by their instructions for cooking.  It was 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes per pound.  I cheated and just waited for the popper to pop.  Makes things much easier (who has the time to clock watch?).

Start by rinsing the chicken and sticking your hand in to remove that nasty bag of...extras.  I toss it, but you can feel free to use it.  Be sure to rinse inside, between the wings and all over.  Next, stuff it with things that will make it full of flavor.  I'm gluten free, so I don't use traditional stuffing of bread.  I threw in a cut up orange (skin on), 2 onions (quartered) and a hand full of frozen cranberries, to go with my harvest theme.

 

Next, melt a few tablespoons of butter and add some herbs to it.  I used basil, rosemary and thyme.  Give it a good stir and, using a cooking brush, paint it onto your chicken.  Add some to the inside too.

 

 

Now, it's ready for the oven!  Cover loosely with tinfoil and put it in the preheated oven.  After about an hour, remove foil, and brush some of the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish onto the chicken.  Do this a few times throughout the cooking process.  When it's finished, the popper will pop.

 

The final result:

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART:  Let it "rest" before carving, that way the juices really get in their and it gets extra flavorful and moist.  A 10-15 minute nap is sufficient.