You won’t believe how easy this Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free chicken recipe is. However, the result is tasty and gorgeous enough to serve to guests.
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Cooking a whole chicken may seem intimidating, but it is actually, one of the easiest ways to prepare chicken. The roasting time allows loads of time to dedicate to side-dishes, making it easy to pull off a beautiful dinner. If you just want a simple dinner, serve it with a salad and use that roasting time for something else–a cup of tea and a book, perhaps.
My mother developed this recipe through years of experimentation. It was a recipe that she made often and passed down to me. Every time I roast a chicken with this recipe, the smell of the kitchen takes me home. At our house, we call it “Grandma Lucie Chicken”.
Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe for roast chicken fool you. The end result is truly unique. The combination of salt and paprika crisps up the chicken skin and holds in the juices. While that crunchy savory skin keeps the meat moist, it is a delicacy unto itself. My family agrees the skin is hands down the best part of the chicken. The problem is that there just isn’t enough to go around. Some of the biggest fights my brother and I had were over who got the skin of this roast chicken.
I’m sharing this family treasure because it is one of the least work-intensive ways I know to put a real home-cooked meal on the table. While it takes an hour or more to roast, it takes just five minutes to get it in the oven. Do you have any family recipes for roast chicken? Please leave a comment. I would love to hear about them.
- 1 pasture raised whole chicken, rinsed, dried and giblets removed.
- Sea salt to lightly salt chicken, about 1 to 1.5 teaspoon.
- Paprika to lightly coat chicken, about 1 to 1.5 teaspoon.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Lightly salt all sides of the chicken.
- Sprinkle all sides of the chicken with paprika until it is coated lightly with the spice. I don't actually measure the paprika. Instead, I just sprinkle from the jar like I do the salt.
- Place the chicken on a wire rack in a roasting pan.
- Roast at 375F for about 20 minutes per pound (1 hour for a 4 lb. chicken).
- Chicken is done when the internal temperature is 180F.
- After removing from oven, let chicken rest 5 to 10 minutes before carving.
Owo.
Dear,
Great post!
I m a chicken lover. your all recipe is very beautiful to see. I like your explanation.
Thanks!
-Annissa