Oven Roasted Chicken

I'm back!!! We had a great trip up to Ashland Oregon but after 6 days of eating out, I'm ready for a little home cooking and so is my family. I have a couple of whole chickens in the freezer and decided to roast them. I like to remove the backbone and then flatten the chicken out, tucking the wing tips under the breast. This method allows for more even cooking and the chicken will cook faster as well. You can also cook the chicken on the grill this way too. Grill it over indirect heat, closing the lid and starting with the skin side up.

Cooks Notes- Try the butter mixture on grilled portobello mushrooms(the big guys). After your remove them from the grill, put a scoop of the butter into the center. DELICIOUS!!!!

Photos of the pans and preparation are below

1 whole chicken, backbone and parts that come with the bird removed
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry the chicken. Preheat oven to 425. Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Spray both sides of a baking rack with cooking spray and lay it on top of the cookie sheet. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay on the rack, skin side up. In a food processor place the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, thyme leaves, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Process until well ground. Pour into a bowl with the lemon juice and butter. Mix by hand to combine. Using your hands, gently loosen the skin of the chicken. Spread some of the butter mixture under the skin next to the meat. Spread the rest over the outside of the chicken and tuck the wing tips under the breast. Place in the oven and immediately lower the oven to 400. Let chicken roast for 20 minutes. Lower the oven again to 350 and continue to let the chicken roast for about 45 more minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast reads 150 and juices run clear. Remove from oven and let rest covered with foil for 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters and serve.