Back-to-school season brings early mornings and busy weeknights to our family. Between football practices and games for our middle schooler, dance lessons for our daughter, who just started kindergarten, and juggling work activities, sitting around the kitchen table for a family dinner can sometimes feel like a challenge.
However, my husband, Daniel, always says, “Important things get calendar time.” So, we do our best to make sure dinner and family connection get a spot on the calendar a few times each week.
One of my favorite meals to make is The Pioneer Woman’s roasted chicken. It comes out perfectly every single time, and there are rarely any leftovers for our family of five.
I should start by saying that I have always avoided baking a whole chicken. I don’t particularly enjoy handling raw chicken, so I didn’t tackle this recipe until last fall. Thankfully, my husband is willing to clean and prep the chicken for me, which means all I have to do is the fun part. He really is the best.
Once the chicken is prepped, it goes into the oven for about an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half. That gives you plenty of time to tackle a load of laundry, clean the kitchen or help with homework while dinner takes care of itself.
And the best part? Your entire home will smell incredible, and by the time the chicken is ready, everyone will be more than happy to gather around the table and dig in.
This dinner is simple and can easily be served with any of your family’s favorite sides. Roasted vegetables, a salad, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes or baked sweet potatoes—the options are endless. If I’m feeling extra homemaker-ish, I’ll even make a yummy dessert to finish the meal.
This recipe is truly perfect year-round. It can be a hearty, comforting meal in the cooler months or a simple summer main course paired with lighter sides. The chicken comes out juicy and tender every time, with beautifully crisp, golden skin.
For me, there’s something nostalgic about a meal like this. It reminds me of my childhood, and I can’t think of a better kind of tradition to pass along to my own kids.
The Perfect Roasted Chicken (Adapted from The Pioneer Woman’s Roast Chicken recipe)
Ingredients:
- 3 whole lemons
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 12 tablespoons butter, softened
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
- Optional: 1 whole onion, quartered
- Optional: Kinder’s Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning, to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F for convection bake or 425°F for a standard oven.
- Zest two of the lemons. Strip the leaves from one rosemary sprig and finely chop them.
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter, lemon zest, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. If desired, add Kinder’s Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning to taste.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the patted-dry chicken breast-side up on the baking sheet.
- Using your fingers, rub the butter mixture all over the chicken, making sure to get some under the skin and inside the cavity.
- Cut the lemons in half. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken, then place the lemon halves and remaining rosemary sprigs inside the cavity. If desired, add the quartered onion as well. (Don’t worry if everything doesn’t fit!)
- Roast the chicken for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is deep golden brown. Use a meat thermometer to check that the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Then, carve, serve and enjoy!
