Italian Roast Chicken

As I sat down to write a post about this awesome Roast Chicken Supper, it had been my intention to put together a whole Sunday Roast Chicken Supper thing. But then I realized the first Sunday I had open was Father’s Day Weekend. Italian Roast Chicken doesn’t exactly scram Happy Father’s Day, although it really should.

Think about it for a moment. With this served on Father’s Day, Mom would be the one doing all the cooking. I gotta ask, don’t we have these guys trained or what? Mother’s Day either they cook or we eat out. Father’s Day and Dad’s at the grill. We are smart! Now if we can just get the rest of the world to bend our way.

So, how is life in your neck of the world? It was so nice to have even a small sense of normal back in our lives again. Restaurants opened once more for dine-in customers. Retail has returned. It was so strange to drive by the mall day after day and see it looking like a ghost town. Small businesses, deemed non-essential by the government officials but very essential to those who counted on these businesses for their livelihood are now allowed to reopen. I don’t know about you, but Hubby and I plan to frequent the smaller businesses whenever possible. The big box stores got enough of our money when there were no other choices. Now that we are free to support neighborhood businesses, we will do just that. I just wish we could get rid of the masks, no matter how funny those might be.

Gosh, I didn’t mean to go off on a rant – this is about Roast Chicken and family time. So let’s get to cooking, shall we?

Italian Roast Chicken
4-1/2 lb Roasting Chicken
1/2 large Red Onion
1/4 cup Fresh Rosemary
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Olive Oil as needed
2 Lemons
1 sprig Fresh Rosemary

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse chicken, remove giblets (if any) and pat dry. Peel onion, cut in half, then into large slivers and set aside. Mince fresh rosemary, set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the cavity with the onion. Brush with oil and sprinkle with rosemary. Place chicken in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish or roasting pan.

Roast chicken in the heated oven for 30 minutes. Without opened the oven door, reduce heat to 400 degrees for about 2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of the bird.

Remove from oven, tent to keep warm and let rest for 10 minutes. When ready to serve, Cut 1 lemon in half, the other into quarters. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken skin, carve the bird and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish the plate with rosemary and remaining lemon quarters.

Looking for the perfect side? Try Herb Risotto. Yum!