Fall Cooking: Roasted Chicken

Now that summer is officially over, we have many new things to look forward to: cooler weather, the changing of leaves, football (lots, and lots, of football), a whole new line of clothes,  campfires on crisp evenings, and so much more. Even the air smells different. Everything around us is changing - including our cooking. Fall demands both rich and spicy flavors, food that warms you from the inside out and brings back childhood memories. As the air turns colder, we have a whole new selection of  food to pick from: squash, apples, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and pears are all in season. Even our techniques change, as we move away from outdoor grilling and lighter dishes, and back inside with crock pots and slow roasting. Rather than salads and barbecue we can look forward to homemade soups and stews. Fall is, quite simply, a great time to get your cook on in the kitchen.

One of the first dishes I wanted to make to celebrate this change of season was a whole roasted chicken. Its easy, affordable and one bite takes me back to days long ago. Back to when the start of a new school year and "Five Star" notebooks sent me into a tizzy of excitement, to a time when raking leaves was an adventure and not a chore, when having cold hands was a result of hard play and therefore hardly noticed, to a time when I lived in my light blue soccer uniform and Umbros were definitely the "in" thing, and when bed time was determined by the setting of the sun. Back then, my siblings and I would pour into the kitchen tired, dirty and all talking at once, and be met by the aroma of a beautiful roast chicken. Those were goods days, some of the best. This recipe helps take me back there.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

1 lemon

1 large onion

3-4 chopped carrots

2-3 stalks of celery

Chicken Broth

Paprika

Rosemary Leaves

Fennel Seeds

Cayenne Pepper

Sea Salt

Freshly cracked ground Pepper

Butter

Your first step is to prepare and clean the chicken. This can be an intimidating task for any first timer, but it is not as difficult as it may seems. If you have a frozen chicken you will want to completely thaw it before beginning. Start by removing the neck, giblets and kidneys from the cavity of the chicken. Next, rinse the chicken under cold tap water. Be sure to rinse inside the cavity as well. Once clean, pat down with paper towels until dry. 

Slice the onion into rings and place at the bottom of your roasting pan. On top, add the chopped carrots and celery. These vegetables will be the surface on which the chicken will sit. 

After the chicken is cleaned, rub a little bit of butter of the skin. Next, prepare the rub. To do so add the juice of 1/2 a lemon, paprika, rosemary leaves, fennel seeds, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a spicier flavor add more paprika or cayenne. Once complete, rub the mixture all of the chicken and inside the cavity. 

Once the chicken is smothered in the rub, place the other 1/2 of the lemon in the cavity. This will help add an extra boost of flavor.

Finally, place the prepared chicken on top of the chopped vegetables in the roasting pan. Pour about a cup of chicken broth into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper over the entire pan. 

Cook at 425 degree for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes or until the meat thermometer registers at 170 degrees. While the chicken is cooking, baste it a few times with the broth from the bottom of the pan to add both a bit more flavor and moisture.

Once the chicken is done, remove from oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sweet potatoes, spinach and the vegetables from the pan. 

Enjoy this fall dish and after the feast if there are leftovers (we had tons!), use the bounty to make another fall supper such as chicken soup or Chicken Tetrazzini. What are your favorite dishes to make from leftover chicken? Feel free to share in the comments!